1.1.1 The Ministry of
Human Resource Development was set up in 1985, with the objective of integrating efforts
for the development of human potential in the areas of education, women and child
development, arts and culture, youth affairs and sports. The Ministry had four constituent
Departments viz.

Education

Culture

Youth Affairs and Sports

Women and Child Development

1.1.2 However, from 15 October 1999,
through a Notification of Government of India, the erstwhile Ministry of Human Resource
Development was bifurcated into two different Ministries viz. Ministry of Human Resource
Development and Ministry of Culture, Youth Affairs & Sports. Simultaneously there was
bifurcation of the Department of Education into two parts, Department of Elementary
Education and the Department of Secondary Education & Higher Education. As a result
the Ministry of Human Resource Development is presently composed of three Departments viz.

Elementary Education

Secondary Education & Higher Education

Women and Child Development

1.2.1 The report of the Department of Women
and Child Development is Part (III) of the report of the Ministry of Human Resource
Development.

1.2.2 The development of women and children
to their full potential constitutes an essential component in the countrys total
human resource development effort. The Department of Women and Child Development was set
up in the year 1985 as a part of the Ministry of Human Resource Development to give the
required impetus to the development of women and children. In its capacity as a nodal
agency looking after the advancement of women and children, the Department formulates
plans, policies and programmes, enacts/amends legislation affecting women and children and
guides and coordinates the efforts of both governmental and non-governmental organisations
working in the field of Women and Child Development. Apart from this, the Department
implements certain innovative programmes for women and children. These programmes are in
the areas of employment and income generation, welfare and support services, gender
sensitization, training for employment and income generation and awareness generation. The
ultimate objective of all these programmes is to make women independent and self reliant
and to ensure that children grow and live in a healthy and secure environment.

1.2.3 For the holistic development of the
child, the Department has been implementing the worlds largest and most unique
outreach programme of the Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS) providing a
package of services comprising supplementary nutrition, immunisation, health check up and
referral services, pre-school non-formal education and health, and nutrition education.
There is effective coordination and monitoring of various sectoral programmes. Most of the
programmes of the Department are run through non-governmental organisations. Efforts are
made to have more effective involvement of NGOs.

1.2.4 The major policy initiatives
undertaken by the Department in the recent past include the establishment of the National
Commission for Women (NCW), Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK), universalising and strengthening
of ICDS, setting up of National Creche Fund (NCF), launching of Indira Mahila Yojana
(IMY), Balika Samriddhi Yojana (BSY), and Rural Womens Development and Empowerment
Project, also known as Swa-shakti project.

1.2.5 The following chapters
broadly cover the main activities of the Department during the year 1999-2000.

2.1.1 The Department of
Women & Child Development continue to implement various schemes for the welfare,
development and empowerment of women and children. In addition to these there were many
initiatives taken by the Department during the year under report. An overview of the
activities of the Department is outlined below.

INTEGRATED CHILD DEVELOPMENT
SERVICES (ICDS) SCHEME

2.2.1 The scheme of ICDS which started
in 1975-76 in 33 blocks in the country presently covers 4200 blocks. These benefit 55.9
lakh expectant and nursing mothers and 264.86 lakh children upto six years of age. During
the year, the Government approved continuation of the scheme in existing blocks and
further operationalisation of 390 projects in a phased manner during the remaining period
of the Ninth Five Year Plan.

WORLD BANK ASSISTED ICDS
PROJECTS

2.3.1 A multi-state World Bank ICDS
Project ICDS-I was implemented by the Department in 110 blocks of Andhra Pradesh and 191
blocks of Orissa from 1991 to 1997. Thereafter ICDS-II project has been in operation in
210 blocks of Bihar and 244 blocks of Madhya Pradesh since 1993. At present ICDS-III is in
operation from 1999-2000 covering the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Rajasthan
and Uttar Pradesh covering 318 new blocks and 685 old blocks.

CRECHES/DAY CARE CENTRES FOR
CHILDREN

2.4.1 Under the scheme of Day Care
Centres for Children 12,470 creches provide day care services to children of migrant,
casual, agricultural labourers and construction workers. The Central Social Welfare Board,
Bharatiya Adimjati Sevak Sangha and Indian Council for Child Welfare are implementing the
scheme. In addition to this, the Department has set up 2455 creches under the National
Creche Fund.

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (ECE)

2.5.1 The Early Childhood Education
Scheme was started in 1982 to reduce drop out rates and to improve the rate of retention
of children in primary schools. It is being run by voluntary organisations in nine
educationally backward States of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya
Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tripura and West Bengal.

TRAINING OF ICDS FUNCTIONARIES

2.6.1 Training is given to the
functionaries associated with the implementation of ICDS programme at all levels, such as
Anganwadi Workers (AWWs), Supervisors, Child Development Project Officers
(CDPOs) and Programme Officers. The National Institute of Public Cooperation and
Child Development, through its three regional centres at Bangalore, Guwahati and Lucknow,
36 middle level training centres and 392 Anganwadi Workers Training Centres impart
training. In addition to this, the Central Technical Committee on Health and Nutrition
also gives training to medical and para-medical staff.

UDISHA

2.6.2 To ensure effective
implementation and to review the status of UDISHA, a World Bank assisted ICDS training
programme, an elaborate mechanism for frequent and regular interaction with the
States/Union Territories has been set up. In this regard, national level meetings with
State Nodal Officers were held in Manesar, Haryana in July, 1999, Goa in January, 2000 and
Udaipur in February, 2000. Group level reviews were also held with States in November,
1999 and January, 2000. These meetings have gone a long way in establishing direct
linkages with the States/UTs.

NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR CHILDREN
(NCC)

2.7.1 To safeguard the constitutional
and legal rights of children, a proposal to set up a National Commission for Children is
under consideration of the Department. The proposal has been approved by the Parliamentary
Standing Committee and on the basis of recommendations of the Committee, a draft Note was
prepared and circulated. Most of the State Governments, UT Administrations/ Ministries/
Departments have agreed to set up the National Commission for Children on the lines of
National Human Rights Commission. The draft Bill is under consideration of the Government.

NATIONAL CHARTER FOR CHILDREN

2.8.1 The Department prepared an
Approach Paper on National Charter for Children which has been circulated to all the
States/UT Governments and concerned Central Ministries/Departments for their comments. The
Department has prepared a draft National Charter, which is presently under consideration
of Government.

NATIONAL AWARDS FOR CHILD
WELFARE

2.9.1 The Department has selected five
institutions and one individual for National Awards for Child Welfare for the year 1999.
The President of India will confer these Awards in a ceremony.

NATIONAL CHILD AWARDs FOR
EXCEPTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT

2.10.1 The National Selection Committee
has on 14.11.1999 selected fourteen children for their exceptional achievements in the
field of academics, arts, sports, music and culture.

STREE SHAKTI PURASKAR AWARDS

2.11.1 Five Awards named after eminent
women in Indian history i.e. Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar, Kannagi, Mata Jijabai, Rani Gaidinliu
Zeliang and Rani Lakshmi Bai, have been instituted by the Department during the year. The
Awards will be given to Indian women for their contribution in the field of social
development. Each Award carries a cash prize of Rs.1.00 lakh and a citation.

SHORT STAY HOMES FOR WOMEN AND
GIRLS

2.12.1 During the year, the financial
pattern and norms under the scheme for Short Stay Homes were upgraded. The provisions for
rent and maintenance, cost for residents have been increased. Provision has also been made
for up-gradation of skills and capacities of staff and residents as well as for education
of the children of residents.

WORKING WOMENS HOSTELS
(WWH)

2.13.1 Since the inception of the
scheme of Working Womens Hostels, 830 hostels have been sanctioned to provide
accommodation to 58,744 working women and day care facilities for 7668 children in 293
hostels.

SUPPORT TO TRAINING AND
EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMME (STEP)

2.14.1 The programme of STEP, which was
launched in 1987, seeks to provide new upgraded skills to poor and assetless women in the
traditional sectors of agriculture, sericulture, handicrafts, fisheries, dairying,
poultry, etc. for enhancing their productivity and income generation. During the year
(upto December 1999) two projects have been sanctioned. Thus, since inception of the
scheme, 83 projects have been sanctioned to benefit 4.46 lakh women.

TRAINING-CUM-EMPLOYMENT-CUM-PRODUCTION
CENTRES (NORAD)

2.15.1 The Norwegian Agency for
International Development (NORAD) assisted a programme for training and skill development
and promotion of self-reliance through income generation for women in non-traditional
trades. The programme was started in the country in 1982-83. At present, the NORAD share
constitutes about 33% of the total outlay. Under the programme, popularly known as NORAD,
109 projects have been sanctioned to benefit 7585 women during the year (upto 8th February
2000) under report.

RASHTRIYA MAHILA KOSH (RMK)

2.16.1 The National Credit Fund (RMK )
which was set up in March 1993, to extend credit facilities to poor and needy women in the
informal sectors, has disbursed loans of Rs.11.69 crore during 1999-2000 (up to 31.1.2000)
for the benefit of 0.47 lakh women. Since inception, the Kosh has sanctioned credit of
Rs.77.36 crore to benefit 3.50 lakh women.

INDIRA MAHILA YOJANA (IMY)

2.17.1 Launched on 15th August 1995,
the scheme for the holistic empowerment of women is being implemented in 238 blocks in the
country. The main strategy of the scheme is to create an organisational base for women to
come together, to analyse and fulfil their needs through existing departmental programmes
of the State and Central Governments. Till now, 40,000 womens groups have been
formed under the scheme out of which 3,000 groups have been formed during the year under
report. The scheme is being revised and is under consideration of Government.

DISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAMME FOR
WOMENS EMPOWERMENT

2.18.1 With a view to enhance the
capacity of field level functionaries and other development related practitioners, the
Department has initiated a collaborative project with IGNOU and ISRO for starting a
certificate course in the Distance Education mode on Womens Group Mobilisation and
Empowerment. The preliminary activities under this project have been completed and the
first programme is scheduled to commence in July 2000.

NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR WOMEN
(NCW)

2.19.1 The National Commission for
Women set up in 1992 covers all facets of issues relating to safeguarding womens
rights and promotion of their empowerment. During the year under report, the Commission
continued to work for review of laws, intervention in specific individual complaints of
atrocities and sexual harassment of women at the work place, and initiated remedial action
to safeguard the interests of women.

NATIONAL POLICY FOR EMPOWERMENT
OF WOMEN

2.20.1 The National Policy for
Empowerment of Women is being finalised by the Department. The policy would prescribe
strategies and action points to bridge the gap between the equal de-jure status and
unequal de-facto position of the women in the country. It would seek to guide action at
every level and in every sector by mainstreaming gender perspectives into all laws,
policies, programmes, regulations and budgetary allocations of the Government.

NATIONAL RESOURCE CENTRE FOR
WOMEN (NRCW)

2.21.1 The Department is in the process of
setting up a National Resource Centre for Women. This would be a nodal body to mainstream
gender issues in policies and programmes for women by training, policy support,
information dissemination, research and documentation.

BALIKA SAMRIDDHI YOJANA (BSY)

2.22.1 The scheme was launched in 1997
with the specific objective to change the communitys attitude towards the girl
child. A mother of a girl child born on or after 15th August 1997 in a family below the
poverty line in rural and urban areas is given a grant of Rs. 500. The scheme was revised
in June 1999, and now provides that Rs. 500 is deposited in the name of the girl child
when she is born and an annual scholarship is given to her when she starts attending
school.

2.23.1 The RWDEP also known as
Swa-Shakti Project was sanctioned as a Centrally Sponsored Project with an estimated cost
of Rs.191.21 crore to strengthen the process of, and create an environment for empowerment
of women in the six States of Bihar, Haryana, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar
Pradesh. During the year initial preparatory arrangements have been completed. Under the
Swa-Shakti Project about 12,000 Self Help Groups (SHGs) of women will be organised in a
span of five years.

RESEARCH STUDIES

2.24.1 During the year, the scope of
the scheme was revised and widened to cover additional activities viz. Setting up of
Chairs in Universities/Institutes of Women and Child, Projects for Monitoring of
Womens Schemes, Strengthening of Institutions, Capacity for Monitoring , Training of
Personnel, etc. apart from sanctioning studies and workshops. In the year under report
(upto 28.2. 2000), 5 studies and 11 workshops have been sponsored.

SAMAJ KALYAN CHETNA PARV

2.25.1 The Central Social Welfare Board
(CSWB), an autonomous organisation under the Department, observed the year 1999 as Samaj
Kalyan Chetna Parv. Rallies, meetings, awareness campaigns, capacity building and
training, advocacy and information dissemination and awareness for violence against women
were the main topics for which awareness was created among the masses.

ROLE OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMME OFFICER

2.26.1 Wherever there are Child
Development Programme Officers, they have been designated as the  Nodal Agency
for implementation of all programmes of the Department of Women and Child Development at
the block level. She/He play a role in the pre-funding appraisal of proposals and the
supervision and monitoring of all programmes of the Department.

HIGHLIGHTS

2.27.1 In addition to all the above
continuing activities, some of the highlights of the activities undertaken by the
Department during the year are listed below:

A Task Force to review all existing legislations and
Government Schemes with a view to enhance womens access to national resources and to
ensure their rightful place in the mainstream of economic development is being
constituted. The Task Force will also chalk out specific programmes for observing the year
2001 as Womens Empowerment Year.

Meetings were held from 5- 8 April, 1999
with different Departments of the concerned Ministries implementing UNICEF assisted
programmes, in order to finalise the draft GOI-UNICEF Master Plan of Operation 1999-2002.
Master Plan of Operation (MPO) 1999-2002 of GOI-UNICEF was signed on 3rd May, 1999. The
financial outlay of the MPO is US $300.042 million.

Sh.Anantrai K.Shah from Bhavnagar, Gujarat, was selected by the
Department for the Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award for Services to Children for the year
1998. Secretary, Women and Child Development on behalf of the Minister conferred the Award
on 15.4.1999. For the year 1999, Smt. Sumati Balakrishana Sukalikar has been selected for
the Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award. The Award will be conferred by the Minister of Human
Resource Development.

Secretary, Women and Child Development presented the National Child
Awards for Exceptional Achievement, 1997 on 15 April 1999 to 18 children. For the year
1999, fourteen children have been selected for National Awards for Exceptional
Achievements.

Under the third Credit & Micro-enterprise Development Training
(CRÈME), a programme evolved in collaboration with British Council, Department for
International Development, U.K. and the Durham University Business School (DUBS) was held
from 15 February - 9 April 1999. A bridge proposal for extension of the CRÈME programme
has been agreed to by DFID with slight modifications, The fourth programme covering 31
participants started with the Indian leg which was held during 3rd-22nd January 2000. The
DUBS programme will be starting from 27th March 2000 and a Bangladesh/Indonesia study tour
is likely in May 2000.

The Honble President conferred the National Awards for Child
Welfare, 1998 in Rashtrapati Bhavan on 27.5.1999. During the current year 5 institutions
and one individual have been selected for National Awards for Child Welfare.

During the year, National Bravery Awards, 1999 were conferred by
Honble Prime Minister of India on 15 children who have shown exceptional bravery.
Since the inception of the scheme 555 children have been given these awards.

In June 1999 the revised Balika Samriddhi Yojana was approved. The
Scheme is now being implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with a scholarship
component in addition to the earlier Rs. 500/- at the birth of a girl child belonging to a
family below poverty line.

Food and Nutrition Board participated in the Social Development
Fair organised by India Trade Promotion Organisation at Pragati Maidan during 15-23 May,
1999.

3 workshops for sensitization of state level functionaries of IMY
were held at Guwahati, Ranchi and Hyderabad from April 18 -19, May 14 -15 and June 10 -11,
1999 respectively.

In June 1999, the Department published a Hand Book giving details
of its schemes including formats for applications, to facilitate officials and
non-governmental organizations at the grass root levels in accessing information and to
avail the benefit of the schemes of the Department. The handbook has been distributed to
all states & UTs.

Under the Swa-Shakti Project an Orientation Programme for
functionaries of Swa-Shakti Project on the World Bank procurement procedures was held at
Hyderabad from 4-9 June, 1999. Subsequently a Planning and Project Launch Workshop was
organised from 28 June-2 July 1999. The Workshop was attended by partners from project
states, Central Project Support Unit, NGOs, officials of World Bank, IFAD, National
Institute of Public Co-operation and Child Development, Agricultural Finance Corporation,
A.F. Ferguson & Co and Educational Consultants India Ltd.

The Department celebrated World Breast Feeding Week from 1-7 August
1999 on the theme of " Breast Feeding-Education for Life", a Global theme. 869
demonstrations, 221 exhibitions, 184 films and slide shows and 287 other functions were
organised by the Department during the week.

A meeting of the Central Committee on Rehabilitation of
Marginalised Women of Vrindavan constituted in the Department, was held on August 5, 1999
under the Chairpersonship of MOS(WCD) to identify action points for rehabilitation of
these women and to monitor the flow of benefit of central schemes to the targeted group
and to recommend the plan of action and implementation scheduled for their rehabilitation.

A One-day workshop on Improving Nutrition of Rural Poor
Through Community Based Processing was organised on 6 August, 1999 at Mysore in
collaboration with CFTRI.

The web site of the Central Social Welfare Board has been hosted on
the Internet. The inauguration of the site took place on 12th of August, 99, the
Foundation Day of the Board. Smt.Suman Krishan Kant inaugurated the web-site. The address
of the site is www.cswb.org. The site contains information about the Board, the online
version of Social Welfare magazine and an NGO database.

The XVII National Nutrition Week was celebrated throughout the
country from 1-7 September. The theme of the Week was Preventing Malnutrition among
Children Under Two Years. Celebrations included State level workshops, exhibitions,
live demonstrations, training programmes, etc.

A SAARC Workshop on follow-up action on the Fourth World Conference
on Women, Beijing was organised by the Ministry of External Affairs in conjunction with
the Department of Women and Child Development on 28-29 September, 1999. Delegations from
the SAARC countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
participated in the workshop.

A training programme on preparation of Annual Action Plans and
Procurement Plans under World Bank procedures was organised for Swa-Shakti project
functionaries at the National Society for Promotion of Development and Administration
Research & Training (NSDART), National Research & Resource Center, Mussoorie from
25 - 29 October 1999.

Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development led the Indian
delegation for participation in the ESCAP High Level Intergovernmental Meeting held in
Bangkok during 26-29 October, 1999 to review the regional implementation of the Beijing
Platform for Action on empowerment of women.

All the field units of Food and Nutrition Board organised special
programmes to celebrate World Food Day on 16 October, 1999 and Global Iodine Deficiency
Diseases on 21 October, 1999.

Food and Nutrition Board organised a two-day advocacy workshop on
Nutrition for Northern States at Chandigarh on 18-19 November, 1999. It also participated
in the Perfect Health Mela organised by Health Care Foundation of India from 29 October -
2 November, 1999 and was given the Distinguished Service Award.

A special postage stamp on Childrens Day was released by the
Honble Vice-President of India in a function held on the occasion on 14 November,
1999. Awards for National Child Award for Exceptional Achievement were declared.

The Department of Women and Child Development acted as a partner
with the Asian and Pacific Development Centre (APDC) and organised a Gender Training
Assessment meeting for National Machineries of the Asia Pacific Region from 16-19
November, 1999 at Heritage Village, Manesar, Gurgaon, Haryana. Representatives from
Bangladesh, Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia, South Korea, Peoples Republic of Laos, Maldives,
Malaysia, Mognolia, Nepal, Philippine, Thailand, Srilanka and Vietnam also participated in
the programme.

A proposal to set-up a Development Bank for Women Entrepreneurs is
under consideration of this Department. Secretary, Women and Child Development took a
meeting with experts and financial institutions on 1st December 1999, and the issue is now
being considered by the Committee of Secretaries.

The Department as a nodal agency has been undertaking the
Inter-Ministerial Review of the progress of 27 Beneficiary Oriented schemes for women
through an inter-ministerial review committee. In December, 1999, this review committee
has been renamed as Committee for Monitoring of Gender Mainstreaming in the Government by
Prime Ministers Office. Its scope has been expanded both in terms of coverage of
ministries, schemes and areas to be examined.

The Minister of State for Women and Child Development held meetings
with the Minister of Social Welfare, Government of Tamil Nadu on December 27, 1999 and
with senior officers of the State Government dealing with women, child development and
nutrition on December 28, 1999 and reviewed the Central and State Government programmes.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) adopted by the
Assembly of United Nations on November 20, 1989, was acceeded to by India on December 11,
1992. The First Periodic Report submitted by the Government of India was considered by the
United Nation Council of Experts on the Rights of the Child at Geneva. The list of
issues submitted in the reply by the Department of Women and Child Development in
consultation with Central Ministries/Departments, State/UT Governments, NGOs, experts and
individuals were considered in the 23rd Session of the Committee held in Geneva on January
11-12, 2000. The reply to the questions raised by the Members were given. The replies on
the further questions raised has been sent to the Committee
on CRC.

India is a signatory to the Convention of the Elimination of All
forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) which was adopted by the UN General Assembly
in 1979. Indias first report on implementation of the provisions of the Convention
was considered by the UN Committee on CEDAW during 24-31 January, 2000. A delegation of
officers from various ministries and departments led by Secretary, Women and Child
Development attended the hearing at New York. In the course of the hearing the CEDAW
Committee members interalia recommended that the Convention be widely disseminated and
translated into the regional languages in the country.

Under a collaborative project with Aus - Aid, a team of 15 Officers
of Central/State/UTs Government after undergoing a preliminary training on Micro -
Financing Womens Groups, for 5 days at Bankers Institute of Rural Development,
Lucknow from 3-7 January, 2000, visited Bangladesh and Indonesia from 14-23 January, 2000.
Thereafter, they had a 15 days training - cum- workshop at Brisbane, Australia from 24
January to 6 February, 2000.

The Minister of State for Women and Child Development held meetings
with the Ministers of Women and Child Development, Government of Maharashtra and Madhya
Pradesh on 21st January, 2000 and 3rd February, 2000 respectively and reviewed the Central
Governments programme implemented in these states.

A two-day Conference of State Ministers and State Secretaries
in-charge of Women and Child Development was organised by the Department on 9-10 February
2000 during which the issues relating to women and child welfare and development were
discussed at length and progress of central programmes was reviewed.

Under Swa-Shakti Project a quarterly newsletter has been launched.
The Minister of State, Women and Child Development released the first issue on 9 February
2000. The newsletter would voice the concerns and expectations being shared by women at
the grassroots level.

A Workshop was organised by the department in collaboration
with CIDA from
15-17 February 2000 at Manesar, Gurgoan, Haryana on " Best Practices in Group
Dynamics and Micro-credit" which was attended by officials from national level
NGOs, Micro-finance institutions, Government Training Institutions and support
agencies. More than 20 papers were written for the Workshop.

RMKs own website was inaugurated by Smt. Sumitra Mahajan, Minister of
State,
Women and Child Development on 27 January, 2000. The Website address is
http://rmk.nic.in .

CSWB organised a 3 day conference on 22 - 24 February,2000 on
Voluntary Action
& Social Development. This was attended by several NGOs & Government
organisations.

3.1.1 The Department of
Women and Child Development remained under the charge of Ms. Uma Bharati, Minister of
State, with Independent charge till 12th October, 1999. Thereafter, Dr. Murali Manohar
Joshi, took charge as Minister of Human Resource Development and Smt. Sumitra Mahajan as
Minister of State, Human Resource Development on 13th October, 1999. Smt. Kiran Aggarwal
continued to be Secretary of the Department, assisted by four Joint Secretaries who head
Four Bureaux, which are Child Development, Child Welfare and Nutrition, Womens
Development and Girl Child & Vigilance.

3.1.2 The organisational chart of the
Department of Women and Child Development is at Annexure-1.

3.1.3 The Department has four
autonomous organisations viz. National Commission for Women (NCW), National Institute of
Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD), Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK) and the
Central Social Welfare Board (CSWB) working under its aegis. NIPCCD and RMK are registered
under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, whereas CSWB is a charitable company
registered under Section 25 of the Indian Companies Act, 1956. These organisations are
fully funded by the Government of India and assist the Department in its functions
including implementation of some programmes/schemes. The National Commission for Women was
constituted as a national apex statutory body in 1992 for protecting and safeguarding the
rights of women.

3.1.4 The list of subjects allocated to the
Department of Women and Child Development is as follows:

i. Family Welfare.

ii. Women and Child Welfare and
coordination of activities of other Ministries and organisations in connection with this
subject.

iii. Care of pre-school children.

iv. Coordination of National Nutrition
Education of Women.

v. Charitable and religious endowments
pertaining to subjects allocated to this Department.

vi. Promotion and development of voluntary
effort on the subjects allocated to this Department.

vii. All other attached or subordinate
offices or other organisations concerned with any of the subjects specified in this list.

viii. Administration of the Suppression of
Immoral Traffic in Women and Girls Act, 1956 (104 of 1956).

ix. The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 (28 of
1961).

x. Coordination of activities of
Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE).

xi. Planning, Research, Evaluation,
Monitoring, Project formulation, Statistics and Training relating to the Development of
Women and Children.

xii. References from the United Nations
Organisations relating to traffic in Women and Children.

xiii. United Nations Childrens Fund
(UNICEF).

xiv. Central Social Welfare Board (CSWB).

xv. National Institute of Public
Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD).

xvi. National Commission for Women (NCW).

xvii. Food and Nutrition Board (FNB).

xviii. Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK).

xix. Mahila Samriddhi Yojana (MSY).

xx. National Nutrition Policy (NNP).

xxi. Indira Mahila Yojana (IMY).

Parliamentary Standing Committee

3.2.1 A meeting of the Parliamentary
Standing Committee on Human Resource Development was held under the Chairpersonship of
Shri S.B. Chavan on 27th March, 1999 to examine the Demands for Grants of the Department
of Women and Child Development. The Action Taken Report (ATR) on the 85th Report of
Standing Committee was submitted to the Rajya Sabha on 25th November, 1999.

Committee on Empowerment of
Women

3.3.1 The Lok Sabha constituted a
Committee on Empowerment of Women in March 1997. It consists of nominated Members of the
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Two sittings of the Committee were held to take oral evidence
of Secretary (WCD) on the subject of "Developmental Schemes for Rural Women".
The Committee presented its first report on "Developmental Schemes for Rural
Women" to Lok Sabha on 21 April 1999. The Department has furnished the Action Taken
Report on the points contained in the Report, with which the Department deals.

Financial Allocation

3.4.1 The Plan and Non-Plan outlays for
the year 1999-2000 were fixed at Rs.1320.00 crore and Rs. 51.83 crore respectively. The
outlays have been revised to Rs.1249.86 crore under Plan and Rs.48.21 crore under Non-Plan
during the year 1999-2000. A statement indicating scheme-wise allocations is given at Annexure- II.

Womens Component Plan

3.5.1 The Department of Women &
Child Development (WCD) designated as the Nodal machinery for the development and
empowerment of Women and Children is playing a crucial role in formulation and monitoring
of the Womens Component Plan. The Department has already advised all the Ministries
/ Departments for inclusion of an identifiable Womens Component Plan in their
programmes right from the planning process to monitoring, allocations and implementation
of their programmes to ensure that benefits reach the women. The Department has further
requested all the Ministries/Departments to set up Advisory Committees for Women in each
sector to help in the preparation, monitoring and implementation of the Womens
Component Plan, set up a Womens Cell and to include a chapter on Womens
Component Plan in their Annual Reports. The Department with the PMO has reviewed the
monitoring of 27 Beneficiary Oriented Schemes for Women implemented by Central Government,
and has expanded its scope to monitor the Womens Component Plan. The committee has
been renamed as the Committee for Monitoring Gender Mainstreaming in the Government of
India.

The Department of Women and Child
Development itself implements schemes viz., Indira Mahila Yojana, Setting up of
Employment-cum-income generation-cum production unit (NORAD), Support to Training and
Employment Programme for Women (STEP), Short Stay Homes, Working Womens Hostels,
Education Work for Prevention of Atrocities on Women, Rural Womens Development &
Empowerment Project (SWA-SHAKTI), Rashtriya Mahila Kosh, Balika Samriddhi Yojana,
Condensed Course of Education and Vocational Training, Socio Economic Programmes,
Awareness Generation Programmes, Women Empowerment Projects which are exclusively for
women. Apart from these, proposals are under consideration of this Department to set up a
Womens Development Bank for women entrepreneurs and a National Resource Centre for
Women to give technical backing by providing information dissemination, training,
advocacy, policy support, and documentation. In addition, the Department has set up a
statutory body, National Commission for Women to safeguard the rights and interest of
women.

3.5.2 Besides all these, the Department has
also implemented other schemes which cover women and children. These are ICDS, Creches,
National Creche Fund, Training of ICDS, Balwadi Nutrition Programme, Early Childhood
Education, Food & Nutrition Programmes. There are also general programmes which cover
women and child related issues being implemented viz. Grant-in-Aid to Voluntary
Organisations in the field of Women and Child Development, Research Studies, Workshops,
Publication Information and Mass Education and Organisational assistance to Voluntary
Organisations.

3.6.1 Programmes for women and children
implemented by the Department are primarily directed towards the most disadvantaged groups
of the population like scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and other economically
backward classes living in backward rural areas and tribal areas and urban slums. The
basic consideration in all the schemes is to ensure that the benefits of the schemes flow
to the disadvantaged section of the population, the SCs and STs, women and children.

3.6.2 The Department has been implementing
the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), which is perhaps the worlds
largest programme for holistic development of the child. More than two-thirds of the
Departments annual budget is earmarked for ICDS. The Annual Plan outlay for the
Department for 1999-2000 was Rs.1320.00 crore (BE), out of which Rs.855.76 crore is for
ICDS. The scheme is being implemented in backward, rural and tribal areas, and urban
slums.

3.6.3 The ICDS envisages provision of vital
services to the most vulnerable groups in disadvantaged areas with a focus on :

Areas inhabited pre-dominantly by SCs;

Areas inhabited by tribes, particularly backward tribes.

3.6.4 Of 4200 operational ICDS projects in
the country, 750 are tribal projects located in areas predominantly inhabited by tribes.
Even in respect of rural/urban projects, the focus is on coverage of the most vulnerable
groups including SCs/STs and other backward classes.

3.6.5 During the year, the out-reach of the
ICDS was extended to 5.59 million expectant and nursing mothers and 26.48 million children
under six years of age for Early Childhood Care and Development.

3.6.6 The Central Social Welfare Board made
the following stipulations under their grant-in-aid rules to encourage voluntary action in
tribal areas :

Normally, only such institutions are eligible for grant-in-aid from
the Board which are engaged in Social Welfare activities for a minimum period of three
years. This condition is relaxed in the case of institutions located in tribal areas.

Institutions are normally given assistance under the
grant-in-aid programme on an equal matching basis (50% grant from the Board and other 50%
raised by the institutions). With regard to the institutions in tribal areas, the Board
allows grants up to 75% of the approved expenditure and in certain deserving cases, grants
even up to 95%.

Further, the Central Social Welfare Board has been
implementing the scheme of Socio-Economic Programme providing work and wages to women
belonging to the weaker sections of society. The beneficiaries under the programmes
include mostly the members belonging to SC and ST communities. Specific instructions have
also been issued to maintain separate records of the number of beneficiaries belonging to
SCs and STs.

Similarly, under the scheme of Condensed Courses of Education for
Adult Women, the institutions are required to make efforts to enroll Scheduled Caste and
Scheduled Tribe women for the course. In the case of SC and ST candidates, conditions
regarding educational qualifications for admission to the courses are relaxed wherever
necessary. Records are kept of the SCs and STs admitted to these courses.

Under the scheme of Hostels for Working Women implemented by the
Department, there are stipulations that 15% of the seats in the hostels to be reserved for
SCs and 7.5% for STs.

3.6.7 The schemes of Food and Nutrition
Board (FNB) are aimed at improving the nutritional status of people in general and of the
vulnerable sections of the population including SCs and STs in particular. The major
thrust of the programmes of the Board is on the rural, tribal and poor, urban areas.

3.6.8 Most of the programmes of the
Department, particularly, those of women, are implemented through voluntary organizations.
Efforts are made to encourage greater voluntary organizations to come forth with proposals
to start welfare programmes in tribal and backward rural areas by extending special
concessions and relaxations under grant-in-aid.

Annual Action Plan

3.7.1 The Department, at the instance
of the Cabinet Secretariat, prepared the Annual Action Plan (AAP) for the schemes and
activities of the Department, setting out the targets, both financial and physical, for
the four quarters of the year. This AAP was monitored on a quarterly basis in the
Department to review the financial and physical achievements as per the targets fixed at
the beginning of the year.

Implementation of Programmes in
the North-East

3.8.1 At the instance of the Prime
Minister, the Ministry of Home Affairs vide their Order No. 9/19/97-T, dated 9th October,
1997 constituted a Committee of Secretaries under the Chairpersonship of the Home
Secretary to look into the development programmes of the Central Government in the
North-East. The Department under the scheme of Integrated Child Development Services
(ICDS), National Creche Fund (NCF), Assistance to Voluntary Organisations for Creches for
the Children of Working and Ailing Mothers, Hostels for Working Women, Support to
Training-cum-Employment Programme (STEP), Socio-Economic Programme (SEP), Condensed
Courses of Education and Vocational Training for Women, Awareness Generation Projects for
Rural and Poor Women, Food and Nutrition Board, National Institute of Public Cooperation
and Child Development and other schemes of the Department allocated 10% of the budget
available during the year for implementation of programmes in the North-East.

Reservation for SCs and STs

3.9.1 Reservation Policy of the
Government of India is being followed in this Department. Out of 31 Group A officers in
the Department, 4 belong to the Scheduled Castes (SC) and 2 officers belong to the
Scheduled Tribes (ST). Out of 83 Group B officers, 9 belong to SC and 2 to ST communities.
In respect of 95 Group C posts, 4 officers are from SC and one from ST communities. Out of
44 Group D posts, 28 officials belong to the SC and 2 to ST communities.

Use of Hindi in Official Work

3.10.1 On the 14 September, 1999, Hindi
completed 50 years of its adoption as official language of the Union. Therefore, it was
decided to celebrate the year 1999-2000 in a befitting manner as the Golden Jubilee Year
of Official Language Hindi.

3.10.2 All the officers and employees,
except one LDC, have acquired working knowledge of Hindi. Two LDCs are undergoing training
in Hindi typewriting under the Hindi Teaching Scheme. Three employees of the Department
have been given prizes for original Hindi noting and drafting.

3.10.3 A three-day Hindi workshop was
organised on 29th July and from 2-4 August, 1999 for officers and employees of the Food
and Nutrition Board. Entries in the service books continued to be made in Hindi. Letters
received in Hindi were replied in Hindi. Article 3(3) of the Official Language Act, 1963
is being complied within the Department. Use of Hindi Telephone Directory published by
MTNL is being made. Efforts are underway to provide Hindi software for the computers
installed in the Department. Comprehensive Glossaries of Administrative Terms were given
in September, 1999 to all officers/ sections to encourage the use of Hindi. Banners and
Boards have been displayed at prominent places in the Department and a message from
Secretary(WCD) was also issued, as a part of Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Official
Language Hindi. Various competitions, such as Essay, Noting and Drafting as well as
Debate, were held in the Department on 14-15 February, 2000. Writing of a Hindi equivalent
of an English word on a display board continued this year also. Meetings of the Official
Language Implementation Committee are being held under the Chairmanship of Joint Secretary
in-charge of Hindi, to review the progressive use of Hindi in the Department as well as in
the offices under the administrative control of the Department. The representative of the
Department regularly attends the Official Language Implementation Committee meetings held
in the offices under the administrative control of the Department.

3.10.4 In addition to the above items of
work relating to the implementation of Official Language policy, the following important
documents/were translated in Hindi during the period under report:

4.1.1 The provisions of
the Constitution of India granting equality to women in various spheres creates the legal
framework within which the Department of Women and Child Development functions for
womens development. At the same time, the paradigms for social development have been
swiftly changing with greater attention to gender issues at the global and national
levels. The Government of India has continuously been formulating strategies and
initiating processes to bring women into the mainstream. Women constitute almost half of
the countrys population, and it is abundantly clear that there can be no development
unless their needs and interests are fully taken into account. In addition, the Government
of India has brought about specific legislation to protect and safeguard the rights of
women.

4.1.2 Although there have been various
shifts in policy approaches in the last fifty years from the concept of
welfare till the 70s to development in the
80s and now to empowerment in the 90s, the Department
of Women and Child Development, since its inception has been implementing special
programmes designed to improve the socio-economic status of women. The Bureau of
Womens Development, and Micro Credit Development, in the Department plays a major
role in this national endeavour for the advancement and empowerment of women. In its nodal
capacity, the Department also formulates policies and programmes, enacts/amends
legislations affecting women and coordinates the efforts of both Governmental and
Non-Governmental Organisations working to improve the lot of women in the country.
Employment, credit facilities, training, awareness generation, income-generating
activities have been major interventions for improving the position of women. In addition,
provision is made for support services of various kinds, including help to the women of
vulnerable groups. Capacity building through training, awareness generation and gender
sensitisation also constitutes a thrust area of the Department.

4.1.3 These programmes play the role of
being both supplementary and complementary to the other general development programmes in
the sectors of health, education, labour and employment, rural and urban development, etc.

4.1.4 In line with this integrated approach
to the empowerment of women and enhancement of the status of the girl child, the
Department has sought to change attitudes in the family, the community and society towards
women and the girl child and to mobilise these social units to play their rightful role in
creating a conducive environment for women and girls. The interventions undertaken by the
Department are directed to empower women and girl children legally, socially, economically
and politically. The activities of the Department can be grouped under the following
categories:

Social and economic empowerment of women.

Training, employment and education.

Attitudinal change towards the girl child.

Support services.

Womens rights and the law.

4.1.5 The details of programmes and schemes
implemented by the Department of Women and Child Development are briefly described below:

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
OF WOMEN

Rural Womens Development
and Empowerment (Swa-Shakti) Project

4.2.1 The Rural Womens
Development and Empowerment Project, also known as the Swa-Shakti Project had been
sanctioned on 16.10.1998 as a Centrally-sponsored project for a period of 5 years with an
estimated outlay of Rs.186.21 crores. In addition, an amount of Rs.5 crores is being
provided during the project period, for facilitating the setting up, in the project
states, of Revolving Funds for giving interest-bearing loans to beneficiary groups
primarily during their initial formative stage. The overall objective of the project is to
strengthen the processes, and create an environment, for empowerment of women. Its
specific objectives are:

Establishment of 7400 to 12000 self-reliant womens
self-help-groups (SHGs) having 15-20 members each, which will improve the quality of their
lives, through greater access to, and control over, resources;

Sensitizing and strengthening the institutional capacity of support
agencies to pro-actively address womens needs;

Developing linkages between SHGs and lending institutions to ensure
womens continued access to credit facilities for income generation activities;

Enhancing womens access to resources for better quality of
life, including those for drudgery reduction and time-saving devices; and

Increased control of women, particularly poor women, over income
and spending, through their involvement in income generation activities which will
indirectly help in poverty alleviation.

The project will cover parts of 6 states and 35 districts,
as mentioned in the following table.

State

Districts

Number of SHGs

Estimated
women beneficiaries

Minimum

Maximum

Minimum

Maximum

Bihar

3

3600

1,200

12,000

24,000

Gujarat

4

1,200

1,200

24,000

24,000

Haryana

3

600

1,200

12,000

24,000

Karnataka

4

1,200

1,200

24,000

24,000

M.P.

6

1,000

2,000

20,000

40,000

U.P

15

2,800

5,200

42,000

78,000

Total:

35

7,400

12,000

1,34,000

2,14,000

4.2.3 In these areas, the
implementing agencies, namely the Womens Development Corporation of the concerned
states in Bihar, Haryana and Karnataka, Gujarat Womens Economic Development
Corporation in Gujarat, M.P Mahila Arthik Vikas Nigam in Madhya Pradesh and Mahila Kalyan
Nigam in Uttar Pradesh, actively associate NGOs in the implementation tasks. Funds needed
by the implementing agencies are being provided by the Government of India in the form of
grants- in-aid.

4.2.4 A substantial part of the outlay for
the project will become available as soft-term loan/credit to the Government of India from
the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and International Development
Association (IDA). Almost the entire credit needs of the beneficiaries will be met from
institutional sources. Roughly, the source of project funding would be as under:-

Source of Contribution as Presumptive

Funding

% of total
cost

Amount( Rs. in crores)

IDA

36.43

67.84

IFAD

35.87

66.79

Institutional Finance

15.85

29.51

Government of India

6.82

12.70

Beneficiary women

5.03

9.37

4.2.5 Funds needed for
setting up of the Revolving Funds in project states will be provided by the Government of
India from its own resources.

4.2.6 The project, at the end of 5 years,
is expected to bring about the following qualitative and quantitative benefits:-

Organisation of 7,400 to 12,000 self-help-groups (SHGs) of about
2.14 lakh rural women and strengthening their ability to control their own affairs and to
further their own development;

Increased self-esteem, confidence and self-reliance of women to
address the constraints which society has imposed and is imposing on them;

Improved management and technical skills for women;

Improvement in the womans social status in both the family
and the community;

Increased mobilization of various public and private sector
services for womens benefits;

Capacity building and strengthening of the support agencies, such
as NGOs and Women Development Corporations, to enable them to be more effective in
addressing womens needs.

Orientation of financial institutions and line departments, to
facilitate their sensitization to gender issues and better services to women, especially
rural women;

Development of training modules and material which can be
replicated and extensively used elsewhere, with such adaptations as may be warranted by
the local situations;

Enhanced involvement of women in economic activities, additional
income and control over it, thereby leading to upgradation of standards;

Integration of women into the social mainstream, especially in the
areas of control over and/or access to finance, including credit from institutional and
other sources; and

Improvement in womens well-being through improved conditions
of living, including drudgery-removal and time-saving devices.

4.2.7 In order to properly relate with the
client women, the Project was re-named as Swa-Shakti Project from the current year.

The base-line survey has commenced. It will generate information on
socio-economic profile of the target group.

Work on designing CPM and MIS for concurrent monitoring and
evaluation has also commenced.

An Orientation Programme for functionaries of the Project on the
World Bank Procurement procedures was held at Administrative Staff College of India,
Hyderabad from June 4 -9, 1999. Under this programme, the participants from project
states, Central Project Support Unit, Lead Training Agency and Lead Monitoring and
Evaluation Agency participated.

The Planning and Project Launch Workshop was held at India Habitat
Centre, New Delhi from June 28 - July 2, 1999, in which almost the entire project staff at
the centre, state and district levels, partner NGOs, officials of World Bank, IFAD,
National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (Lead Training Agency),
Agricultural Finance Corporation (Lead Monitoring and Evaluation Agency), M/s. A.F.
Ferguson & Co. (Agency for Development and Installation of financial Management
System) and Educational Consultants India Limited, participated.

Joint IDA-GOI Supervision of the project was carried out thrice
during this period in June 1999, October 1999 and February 2000. In the Aide Memoire for
October 1999, the World Bank has stated that project implementation has accelerated
considerably and agreed benchmarks of the earlier Supervision IDA Mission have been
substantially accomplished. The World Bank has rated the development objective and
implementation progress of Swa Shakti Project as satisfactory. The project was again rated
as satisfactory in February 2000.

A training programme on preparation of Annual Action Plans and
Procurement Plans under World Bank procedures was organised for project functionaries at
National Society for Promotion of Development and Administration Research & Training
(NSDART), Mussoorie from October 25 - 29, 1999.

The Lead Training Agency, National Institute of Public Cooperation
and Child Development has finalised the training strategy and plan for the first 18 months
of the project implementation and has conducted / organised (a) Training of Master
Trainers of RWDEP, (b) Exposure visit to Madurai, Tamil Nadu to study Womens
Development Project being implemented by Women Development Corporation, Tamil Nadu and
Banking with Poor Project by Dhan Foundation (c) Workshop on Gender, Research Techniques
and Participatory Monitoring, (d) Exposure visit to Micro Credit Project of CARE,Ranchi,
(e) Swa- Shakti Projects Training Coordinators Meeting, and (f) Orientation course
on SHGs Formation, Communication Skills and Office Procedures for Officers implementing
Swa-Shakti Project, (g) Foundation Course for the Master Trainers in the Project at
Ahmedabad.

The contract for Computerised Financial Management System has been
signed with M/s. A.F. Ferguson & Co. on 9 November, 1999. The Draft Financial
Management System Manual has already been submitted. It is expected that by the end of
first quarter of 2000-2001, the Computerised Financial Management System will be fully
operational in the whole of the Swa-Shakti Project.

The Department has witnessed the evolution of womens self
help groups from a modest beginning by way of isolated initiatives, to its transformation
into a silent revolution - a revolution that has brought in its fold the social and
economic concerns of many a woman. In this direction, the Swa-Shakti quarterly newsletter
has been launched. This newsletter voices the concerns and expectations being shared at
the grassroot level. It would help in restrengthening our commitment towards the bottom up
approach. The newsletter would focus on the innovations and new ideas emanating from the
field, under the Swa-Shakti Project.

The Central Project Support Unit of the Department has started
conducting regular Monthly Meetings with State Level functionaries to facilitate trouble
shooting and problem solving.

Work for developing training and resource material has also
commenced.

Additional activities initiated
in the states

Against the target of 400 SHGs, 830 SHGs were formed in 1998-99. It
is expected that 1450 SHGs, as targeted, would be formed in 1999-2000. Keeping in view the
pace of activities in the Project States, it is expected that 2000 SHGs would be formed in
2000 - 2001.

Majority of the personnel have been deployed in the districts which
are covered in Phase-I.

Partner NGOs have been identified and inducted in the districts
which are covered in Phase-I.

Training of NGO Master Trainers for the districts which are covered
in Phase-I, has commenced.

Selection of personnel and NGOs in the remaining districts has also
commenced.

INDIRA MAHILA YOJANA (IMY)

Overview

4.3.1 Launched on 15th August, 1995 the
scheme is being implemented in 238 blocks in the country for the holistic empowerment of
women. The main strategy of the scheme is to create an organisational base for women to
come together, to analyse and fulfill their needs through existing departmental programmes
of the State and Central Governments. Till December1999, 40,000 small homogenous women
groups have been formed under the scheme, out of which 3000 groups have been formed during
the year under report.

4.3.2 The Indira Mahila Yojana (IMY) is a
programme launched by the Government of India in August 1995 as a central sector project
for the holistic empowerment of women. The vision of IMY is to develop empowered women who
will:

Demand their rights from family, community and government;

Have increased access to and control over material, social and
political resources;

Have enhanced awareness and improved skills; and

Be able to raise issues of common concern through mobilisation and
networking.

4.3.3 It is premised on recognition of the
fact that empowerment is a multifaceted process. It seeks to achieve this by the following
objectives:

To generate awareness among women by disseminating information and
knowledge, so as to bring about an attitudinal change;

To help women achieve economic strength through micro-level income
generating activities; and

To establish convergence of various services such as literacy,
health, non-formal education, rural development, water supply, entrepreneurship etc.

4.3.4 The IMY is based on the idea of the
strength of the Self-Help Group. The development of Indira Mahila Kendras (IMKs) at the
Anganwadi level and also recognising other groups under the adult literacy programmes,
health programmes and integrating them with or associating them with the IMKs at the
Anganwadi level would provide the grassroot level organisations for women for various
interactions. It has been proved by several experiments in different parts of the country
that womens groups become a very strong medium for accessing various kinds of
information and also for bringing about attitudinal changes on several matters. The groups
become a very strong mechanism for empowering women with information, knowledge and
resources.

Achievements during the year

4.3.5 As reported by the states, more
than 40,000 small homogenous womens groups have been formed under the Scheme till
December 1999, out of which 3000 womens groups were formed during the period under
reference.

Physical
Progress

Number of Blocks
sanctioned

200

Number of Blocks
identified by states

238

Number of IMBS registered

280*

* In Andhra
Pradesh the 14 blocks have been divided into 55 Mandals and for each Mandal one Indira
Mahila Mandal Society has been registered. In Haryana though it has been sanctioned only 8
IMY Blocks they have already registered Indira Mahila Block Societies in 86 Blocks.

Groups formed

40, 000

State/Regional workshops
conducted in convergence with MSY

31

Workshops

4.3.6 For the purpose of sensitising
implementers of IMY at the state/district level a series of state/district level workshops
have been conducted throughout the country with the assistance of National Institute of
Public Cooperation & Child Development (NIPCCD). This process continued during the
current year also. A total number of 27 state level workshops have so far been conducted,
out of which 3 workshops for sensitization of state level functionaries of IMY were held
at Guwahati , Ranchi & Hyderabad on April 18 -19, May 14-15 and June 10-11, 1999
respectively.

Resource Material Development

4.3.7 A booklet containing all the
important circulars of IMY and other related information was published.

Training and Capacity building

4.3.8 The Credit and Micro-enterprise
Development (CRÈME) training programme for the Child Development Project Officer (CDPOs)
and representatives from Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs), a collaboration of the
Department for International Development (DFID), UK and Department of Women & Child
Development, Government of India has been extended to this year. The in-India training of
31 persons was held at the Bankers Institute of Rural Development (BIRD), Lucknow. Of the
30, 15 persons will be going to Durham University for a 6 week training in March 27, 2000
and the other 15 will have a 15 days study tour in Bangladesh/Indonesia which is likely to
be scheduled for the 2nd week of May 2000.

4.3.9 The Aus-AID assisted
training-cum-workshop on Micro-financing womens groups under India-Australia
Training and Capacity building Project approved last year was continued this year. Under
this project, a training programme for senior/middle level officials was conducted at
BIRD, Lucknow from January 3-7, 2000. Fifteen officials comprising of Directors in-charge
of Women & Child Development/DMs, faculty members from training institutions and
officials from RMK and representatives from this Department were sent to Bangladesh,
Indonesia, and Australia on a study tour/training from January 14 to February 6, 2000.

Womens Empowerment
Projects

4.3.10 Under the collaborative project "Training
for Women Empowerment" launched in September 1998 in 21 IMY blocks of Maharashtra, a
series of training programmes were organised. 3 training programmes for master trainers
were held and animator training is an ongoing activity. Efforts were also made to create
an information centre in each of the 21 IMY blocks in Maharashtra.

IMY
Progress at a Glance

IMY is being implemented in 238 Community Development Blocks;

Majority of Indira Mahila Block Societies have been (IMBSs)
registered;

More than 40,000 groups have been formed;

31 State/District Level/Training of Trainers workshops have been
organised throughout the country by National Institute of Public Cooperation & Child
Developemnt (NIPCCD), out of this 3 were held during the year;

A proposal for recasting the scheme has been prepared in the light
of the Planning Commissions decision on merger of MSY with IMY;

Convergence:

Linkages of STEP, NORAD, CSWB, ICDS and RMK schemes with IMY have
been initiated;

A three years collaborative training programme with Department for
International Development (DFID), UK evolved for Child Development Project Officers &
Programme Officers, & Non-governmental Organisations is being implemented. Under the
programme, four courses were held/planned at Bankers Institute of Rural Development
(BIRD), Lucknow and Durham University Business School (DUBS) in U.K and three exposure
visits were organised to Bangladesh and Indonesia under the programme.

A training programme titled " Training-cum-workshop on
Micro-financing Womens Groups under India-Australia training and capacity buildig
project under IMY" for senior/middle level officers was finalised with Aus-AID
assistance. The first programme was started in December 1998 and 13 senior officials and
national level trainers participated in it. As a follow up of this programme, one Training
of Trainers programme was organised in Jammu for IMY trainers in the month of December
1999. Training for the second batch of 15 persons was organised in January-February 2000.

A project with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) assistance on
Training for Womens Empowerment under IMY was launched in 21 blocks of Maharashtra
and several training programmes were organised under the project.

Workshop on Best Practices in Group Dynamics & Micro-credit was
conducted.

Resource Material Development

Handbook on IMY was published.

All the important circulars of IMY and other related information were compiled.
A
compendium containing these information will be printed soon.

New Collaborative
Projects under IMY

Collaboration with CIDA

4.3.11 Discussions with Canadian
International Development Agency (CIDA) for a collaborative project under IMY to be
implemented in one or two States are in an advanced stage. As a preliminary activity, a
workshop was organised from February 15-17, 2000 on Best Practices in Group Dynamics &
Microcredit at Manesar, Haryana, where the leading practitioners and policy makers in this
field shared their experience of micro-credit and group dynamics. About 50 delegates
participated in the event. It is planned to publish a book documenting these best
practices.

4.3.12 The Department of Women and
Child Development acted as a partner with Asian and Pacific Development Centre (APDC)
recently for organising a Gender Training Assessment Meeting for National Machineries of
the Asia Pacific Region held from November 16-19, 1999 at Heritage Village Manesar,
Gurgaon. The meeting focused at a regional level on the following issues:

Assessment and analysis of the effectiveness of gender training
programmes;

Skills-sharing, i.e. sharing of gender training experiences with
national machineries responsible for gender mainstreaming in Government; and

Development of guidelines for gender training effectiveness for
wider dissemination in the region.

4.4.1 Mahila Samridhi Yojana was
started in 1993 to inculcate the habit of savings among rural women in the country. After
evaluation of this scheme by Programme Evaluation Organisation and rapid evaluation of
Indira Mahila Yojana, the Planning Commission advised the Department to merge both these
schemes . The scheme is now being merged with Indira Mahila Yojana.

Haryana Integrated Womens
Empowerment and Development Project

4.4.2 The Project has been under
implementation since July 1994 with financial assistance from the United Nations Fund for
Population Activities (UNFPA). The first phase of the project closed on 31st December,
1998. The second phase, to have a three-year duration, has commenced on 1st January 1999.
UNFPA has committed a contribution of Rs.15.61 crore approximately for the second phase.
As per the project agreement signed with UNFPA, the Department is the executing agency for
the project while the Department of Women and Child Development, Haryana is the
implementing agency.

4.4.3 The coverage of the project which was
Mahendergarh District and 70 villages of Rewari District in the first phase has been
extended to the whole of Rewari District in the second phase.

4.4.4 The components of the project are (i)
empowerment of women (ii) reproductive health services (iii) enhancing capacities of women
Panchayati Raj members(iv) reduction of violence against women (v) education (vi)
initiatives for adolescent girls and boys (vii) gender sensitization of government
departments and (viii) making a difference in knowledge, attitudes and practices of the
people. The project strategy in the second phase will attempt to increase male involvement
in the process of womens empowerment and to ensure womens ability to control
her own fertility and the freedom to decide if, when, and how often to procreate.

4.4.5 The Department will be holding a
tripartite meeting shortly with Government of Haryana and UNFPA to review the performance
of the project based on the annual project reports for 1998 and 1999.

TRAINING, EMPLOYMENT AND
EDUCATION

Distance Education Programme

4.5.1 Self-Help Groups have emerged as
one of the major strategies for womens empowerment and various schemes of the
Government of India have shown that strong womens groups could contribute
substantially to the development and convergence of services and activities. Experience
with various programmes and projects has highlighted the benefits of formation of
womens groups for building confidence and focusing on developmental tasks. Different
groups in various states all over the country have focused on skill development and
awareness generation, promoting economic development through income generation activities,
inculcating thrift and credit management activities among poor women.

4.5.2 The experience of these schemes has
shown that the sustainability of the majority of these groups was a major problem and one
of the prime reasons for that was lack of a proper training strategy. Because of
incomplete or ineffective training, full potential of womens groups formed in
different states could not be realised. The vast geographical canvas also impedes timely
transmission of messages without distortion. The project called "Distance Education
for Womens Development & Empowerment" aims to address some of these
critical areas of concern. It is the first such programme of its kind in the country.

4.5.3 The Scheme proposes to launch a
certificate course by IGNOU to train a large mass of trainers from amongst village level
implementers of the projects, their supervisors and district level functionaries. Such
trainers, after their successful participation in the programme would be able to guide
sustainable group formation work in their areas. Such an approach will also speed up the
whole training process since a large number of centres could be activated simultaneously
and the grassroot level trainers could be directly accessed. Considering the fact that
there are about 7 lakh Government supported womens groups in the country at present,
there will be a need of about 2.30 lakhs facilitators and 11,600 supervisory level
functionaries who will require training on a best case scenario.

4.5.4 The implementation of the project is
being jointly undertaken by the Department of Women & Child Development, Indira Gandhi
National Open University (IGNOU) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The
Department of Women & Child Development would provide support of policy direction,
sharing of available material and funds for the programme. The scheme would use
IGNOUs experience in development and accreditation of software so that a
standardised package consisting of self instructional print, audio and video material with
tutorial support through tele-conferencing could be developed. ISRO will provide the
satellite linkage for at least 80 hours per year for the programme and will arrange some
of the hardware related support. There would be 7 training cycles in English and 5 cycles
in Hindi.

4.5.5. The total cost of the project is
about Rs.3.90 crore consisting of Rs.105 lakh towards hardware, Rs.166 lakh for software
preparation and rest for printing, distribution and support services. The project also
covers the installation of 150 units of receiving terminals with T.V. facilities and 250
new telephone connections at the identified centres. The following activities have been
undertaken during the year :-

Development of print material;

Selection of locations for installation of hardware: and

Identification of counsellors at IGNOU.

The certificate course will be launched
with effect from July, 2000. The Programme will be open to employees of various Govt.
bodies, NGO and students.

4.5.6 Under this programme, an expenditure
of Rs 1.40 crore is expected during the year 1999-2000. An amount of Rs 1.43 crore is
proposed for 2000-2001.

Support to Training and
Employment Programme for Women (STEP)

4.6.1 This programme launched in1987,
seeks to provide updated skills and new knowledge to poor and assetless women in the
traditional sectors, such as agriculture, animal husbandry, dairying, fisheries,
handlooms, handicrafts, khadi and village industries, sericulture, social forestry and
wasteland development for enhancing their productivity and income generation. This would
enhance and broaden their employment opportunities, including self-employment and
development of entrepreneurial skills. Women beneficiaries are organised into viable and
cohesive groups or co-operatives. A comprehensive package of services, such as, extension,
inputs, market linkages etc. are provided besides linkage with credit for transfer of
assests.

4.6.2 Since the inception of the programme,
about 4,42,145 women have been covered under 81 projects launched in the States of Andhra
Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat. Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Orissa, Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. So far,
women in the dairying sector have been receiving the maximum support, keeping in view the
nature of demands. This is followed by handlooms, handicrafts, sericulture and poultry.

4.6.3 In the year 1998-99, 14 projects were
sanctioned to benefit 56,520 women and an amount of Rs.16 crore was released. In the
following year 1999-2000, an amount of Rs.5.38 crore has been released.

4.6.4 Two new projects under STEP have been
sanctioned during 1999-2000 to benefit 4500 women. State-wise break-up of projects
sanctioned and the number of beneficiaries during 1998-99 and 1999-2000 are given at Annexure - III

4.6.5 A sensitization programme for the
managers of new projects approved under the scheme of STEP during 1998-99 was organised in
July, 1999 by the National Institute of Public Co-operation and Child Development
(NIPCCD), at its regional centre, Lucknow. This programme was attended by representatives
from all new projects.

4.7.1 The programme launched in 1982-83
with NORAD ( Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation) aims to improve the lives of
poor women. Under this programme, financial assistance is given to Womens
Development Corporations, Public Sector Corporations, autonomous bodies and voluntary
organizations, to train women in mostly non-traditional trades and to ensure their
employment in these areas. Some of the trades are electronics, watch assembling, computer
programming, garment making, secretarial practices, community health work, embroidery,
weaving, etc. Financial assistance is given to the grantee organization for hiring of
training-cum- production sheds, training costs, stipend to the trainees and for training
in machinery and equipment.

4.7.2 The upper ceiling for assistance
under this Scheme is normally confined to Rs. 8000/- per beneficiary.

4.7.3 Since 1982-83 when the NORAD assisted
programme was started, 1477 projects benefiting 2.28 lakh women have been approved. Since
1996-97, the assistance by NORAD has been supplemented with domestic resources. An
agreement was signed between the Government of India and Government of Norway on 13th
November 1997 for the extension of the assistance provided by the Norwegian Government for
the next 5 years. As per the agreement, an amount of NOK 38 million (equivalent to about
Rs. 20 crore) is to be provided by the Norwegian Government under the Scheme for the years
1997-2002. The present position is that the share of the Norwegian Government constitutes
about 33% of the total outlay under this scheme. However, this scheme continues to be
popularly known as NORAD scheme.

4.7.4 State wise break-up of projects
sanctioned and the number of beneficiaries during 1998-99 and 1999-2000 is at Annexure-IV

4.7.5 For better monitoring of training
projects sanctioned under the NORAD scheme, the State Women Development Corporations have
been involved. These Corporations are supposed to conduct pre-appraisal of project
proposals before recommendation and mid term monitoring and evaluations of sanctioned
project proposals.

ATTITUDINAL CHANGE TOWARDS THE
GIRL CHILD

Balika Samriddhi Yajana (BSY)

4.8.1 The scheme of Balika Samriddhi
Yojana was launched on 2nd October, 1997 with the objective of raising the overall status
of the girl child and bringing about a positive change in family and community attitudes
towards her. The scheme covers up to two girl children born on or after 15th August, 1997
in a family living below the poverty line as defined by the Government of India, in any
rural or urban area.

4.8.2 During 1997-98 and 1998-99, the
mothers of the newborn girl children covered under the scheme were given a grant of
Rs.500/- each in cash. The benefits have been redesigned in the current financial year
(1999-2000). The post-delivery grant of Rs.500/- will now be deposited in an
interest-bearing account in a bank or post office in the name of the girl child. In
addition, the girl child will now be entitled to receive scholarships for each class of
study successfully completed by her, ranging from Rs.300/- for Class I to Rs.1,000/- for
Class X. The scholarship amounts will also be deposited in the above account. The
accumulated value of the deposits in the account will be payable to the girl child on her
attaining the age of 18 years and having remained unmarried till then.

4.8.3 The benefits can also be utilized to
pay the premium on an insurance policy in the name of the girl child under the Bhagyashree
Balika Kalyan Bima Yojana and for purchase of textbooks or uniforms for the girl child.

4.8.4 The scheme, under which releases were
made by the Department to district-level implementing agencies in 1997-98 and 1998-99,
will now be implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme and funds will be released to
State Governments and Union Territory Administrations for execution of the scheme, largely
through the ICDS infrastructure.

4.8.5 A sum of Rs.40 crore has been
allotted for the scheme in BE 1999-2000.

National Plan of Action for
SAARC Decade of the Girl Child, 1991-2000 AD

4.9.1 National Plan of Action for the
Girl-Child is under implementation since November, 1992.

4.9.2 Implementation of the Plan of Action
is an inter-ministerial effort. The concerned Ministries/Departments of Government are
responsible for implementing the points of the Plan of Action through their girl-child
specific or girl-child related programmes. In other words, targets/goals laid down in the
NPA are to be achieved by different Ministries/Departments like Health, Education, Labour,
etc. In view of this, an Inter-Ministerial Coordination Committee of Secretaries was
constituted in 1993 to review the progress of implementation of the National Plan of
Action. The Committee meets at regular intervals for the purpose.

4.10.1 The meeting is now scheduled to
be held in New Delhi from 16-20th April 2000. Ministers for Womens Affairs from 52
Commonwealth Countries are expected to participate in the meeting, which would deliberate
upon the updated Commonwealth Plan of Action on Gender and Development.

SUPPORT SERVICES

Working Womens Hostels
(WWH)

4.11.1 Under the Scheme of
Construction /Expansion of Hostel Building for Working Women with a Day Care
Centre implemented by the Department of Women and Child Development, financial
assistance is given to voluntary organizations, local bodies and cooperative institutions
engaged in the field of womens social welfare, womens education, Public Sector
Undertakings, Women Development Corporations, , Educational Institutions and State
Governments for the construction of hostels for working women in order to enable women to
seek employment and participate in technical training. The objective of the Scheme is to
provide cheap and safe hostel accommodation to employed women living out of their homes.
The target beneficiaries are single working women, widows, divorcees, separated women and
working women whose husbands are out of town. Women getting training for employment and
girl students studying in post school professional courses are also eligible to stay in
the hostels.

4.11.2 During the year 1998-99, an amount
of Rs. 7.73 lakhs has been sanctioned under the Scheme. During the year 1999-2000, an
amount of Rs. 5.10 crores has been sanctioned so far. (till 25 February,2000). 7 new
hostels have been constructed during the year 1999-2000 to benefit 630 women. Out of the
seven hostels sanctioned, day care facilities have been provided in four hostels to
benefit 110 children. State/UT-wise distribution of Working Womens hostels with
Day-Care Centres(DCC) for Children up to 4.2.2000 is given at Annexure -V

Short Stay Homes for Women and
Girls

4.12.1 The Government of India launched
a programme in 1969 in the Central Sector called the Short Stay Homes for Women and
Girls to protect and rehabilitate those women and girls who are facing social and moral
danger due to family problems, mental strains, social ostracism, exploitation or other
causes. The services extended in these homes include medical care, psychiatric treatment;
casework services, occupational therapy, education - cum - vocational training and
recreational facilities.

4.12.2 The need for providing Short Stay
Homes for women and girls has been due to the changing pattern of life, rapid urbanisation
and industrialisation and the resulting migration from rural to urban areas. The break-up
of social institutions like the joint family, contributes considerably in creating
problems of adjustment for women and young girls. Cases of marital conflict and emotional
disturbances also occur. This scheme is meant to help the women to rehabilitate themselves
within a short period of time. These Short Stay Homes have been established by voluntary
organisations.

4.12.3 In the beginning of the current
financial year, 272 Short Stay Homes received grants from the Department, covering
approximately 8,160 beneficiaries.

4.12.4 The Cabinet Committee on Economic
Affairs has recently approved a proposal for revision of the norms and financial patterns
of the scheme. The recurring cost as per the changed norms will now be Rs. 4,01,350 per
Home per annum in C class city with a one time non-recurring cost of Rs.
50,000. There is also a provision for some increase in subsequent years on the component
of rent and the maintenance cost for residents. Provisions have also been made for
upgrading skills and capacities of staff and residents as well as education of the
children of residents.

4.12.5 During the year, the work of
implementation of existing Short Stay Homes has been transferred to the CSWB. Sanction of
new homes has been retained with the Department and a new Project Sanctioning committee
has been constituted to evaluate and approve new proposals.

4.12.6 The following activities were taken
up during the current year:

By the end of 15th February 2000, 36 new Short Stay Homes have been
sanctioned in the country. Some of these Homes were opened for the displaced persons from
Indo -Pakistan border in J&K and the victims of super cyclone in Orissa;

Two training programmes, one in Calcutta and another in New Delhi
were organised during the year to train the functionaries of different Short Stay Homes;

In order to popularize the scheme and involve established NGOs in
its implementation, a major advertisement campaign was launched which has resulted in
considerable response from NGOs;

In order to facilitate implementation of the scheme in a
standardized manner throughout the country, an implementers manual is being prepared. This
manual is expected to be finalised by June 2000; and

The application format for submitting new proposals has been
completely revised and made more user friendly.

4.13.1 Linked with social advocacy and
legal literacy issues, this programme started in 1982, provides financial assistance to
voluntary organisations working for the upliftment and betterment of women and for the
prevention of atrocities against women, for items such as propaganda, publicity and
research work. Production of publicity materials like pamphlets, booklets, hoardings,
posters, slogans, surveys/studies on particular aspect of violence/atrocities against
women qualify for financial assistance under this scheme. As the majority of the
activities under the scheme are being covered by the Central Social Welfare board under
their Awareness Generation Scheme, the funds under the scheme will be made available to
the Board.

National Commission for Women
(NCW)

4.14.1 The National Commission for
Women, a statutory body, set up under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990 has a
mandate to safeguard the rights and interests of women. The Commission continued to pursue
its mandated activities, namely review of laws, interventions into specific individual
complaints of atrocities and remedial action to safeguard the interests of women. The
Commission has accorded highest priority to securing speedy justice to women.

4.14.2 The Commission has been instrumental
in introducing fresh ideas, innovative models, training packages, models for speedy
justice etc. The Commission has, before it, apart from looking into the law and
legislation for effecting improvement to ensure speedy justice, thrust areas in the realm
of:-

Organising Parivarik Mahila Lok Adalats throughout the country on a
continuous basis.

Launching of programmes on Legal Awareness;

Sensitisation programmes for police, NGOs, and officials for better
implementation of safeguards and laws for the benefit of women;

Release and rehabilitation of women prisoners;

Rehabilitation of prostitutes and their children;

Rehabilitation of widows and support to the anti-arrack movement.

Custodial justice for women prisoners;

Participation of women in the electoral process;

Issue of violence on Women

Technological Empowerment of Women in Agriculture

Rights of minority Women.

4.14.3 The Commission maintains the
Complaints Cell/Counseling Cell which is a "Core" Unit of the Commission and
processes various categories of written/oral complaints and also take suo-moto notice of
matters relating to deprivation of womens rights, non-implementation of laws enacted
to provide protection to women, non-compliance of policy decisions, guidelines or
instructions aimed at mitigating hardships to women and taking up issues arising out of
such matters with appropriate authorities. The complaints received relate to harassment
for dowry, dowry deaths, torture, desertion, bigamy, rape, refusal to register FIR by the
police, discrimination in employment, domestic violence, incest, and cruelty by husbands
and in-laws.

REVIEW OF LAWS AFFECTING WOMEN

Beijing Plus Five
Review

4.15.1 The Fourth World Conference on
Women which was held in Beijing, China during September 1995 had adopted a Beijing
Declaration and a Platform for Action (PFA) as an agenda for
womens empowerment. The PFA calls upon the Governments, the international community
and civil society, including non-governmental organizations and the private sector, to
take strategic action in twelve critical areas of concern, namely, women and poverty,
education and training of women, women and health, violence against women, women and armed
conflict, women and the economy, women in power and decision making, institutional
mechanisms for the advancement of women, human rights of women, women and the media, women
and natural resources & environment and the girl-child.

4.15.2 A special session of the UN General
Assembly will be held at the United Nations, New York in June 2000 to review and assess
the status of implementation of the PFA, five years since the Beijing Conference.

4.15.3 The Department has initiated the
process of review of the progress made in the country in the implementation of the PFA.
Besides collecting information from various other Ministries/Departments of the Government
and the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations, a feedback questionnaire was
sent to NGOs active in the field of gender justice and womens empowerment to obtain
information on their work in the field and their perception of the scenario.

4.15.4 The Beijing Plus Five India Country
Report is presently under preparation.

4.15.5 The following other significant
activities have been held in this connection:-

A SAARC Workshop on Follow-up Action on the Fourth World Conference
on Women was held in New Delhi on 28th and 29th September 1999 in which all the SAARC
countries participated.

A High Level Intergovernmental Meeting was held by ESCAP in
Bangkok, Thailand from 26-29 October 1999 to review the regional implementation of the
Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action in the Asia and the Pacific. A six- member
inter-ministerial delegation from India led by the Secretary DWCD participated in the
meeting.

The UN Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

4.16.1 India ratified the Convention in
July 1993 with one reservation and two declaratory statements. Indias first report
on implementation of the provisions of the Convention (which is available on the Internet)
was presented and considered at the UN on 24th and 31st January 2000 by the CEDAW
Committee consisting of 23 members. The report covers initiatives taken by government to
ensure gender equality in various fields.

ERADICATION OF COMMERCIAL SEXUAL
EXPLOITATION OF WOMEN & CHILDREN.

4.17.1 The Government has finalized a
Plan of Action to combat trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of women and
children. The State Governments and UT Administrations have been requested to implement
the Plan of Action. The progress of implementation of the Plan of Action will be monitored
by the Central Advisory Committee. All the State Governments/UT Administrations have been
requested to send the implementation report.

4.17.2 The Central Advisory Committee on
Child Prostitution proposed certain amendments in the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act to
make it more stringent and effective. The recommendations made by the Central Advisory
Committee in this regard are being consolidated for approval by the Government.

4.17.3 India has drafted a Regional
Convention on prevention and combating trafficking of women and children for the purposes
of prostitution. The Convention seeks to take measures and encourage cooperation among the
SAARC member countries to prevent the incidence of trafficking; this is specially relevant
because Nepal and Bangladesh are the major source areas. The Convention is expected to be
signed in the next SAARC Summit.

4.17.4 A Work Plan under the GOI-UNICEF MPO
has been finalized. Funds have been earmarked for various activities such as projects for
rehabilitation of victims of prostitution, preparation of manual for sensitisation of
police officers, building of a data base on the subject matter of prostitution and
trafficking, holding of regional level meets for interaction with State Governments close
to source areas and NGOs.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GUIDELINES
CONTAINED IN SUPREME COURTS ORDER IN THE CASE OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF WOMEN AT THE
WORKPLACE AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS.

4.18.1 The Honble Supreme Court
in its order dated 13.8.1997 passed an order laying down the norms and guidelines to be
followed by the employers for tackling the incidents of sexual harassment of women at the
workplace and other institutions. The guidelines issued by the Supreme Court included
setting up of a complaints redressal forum in all workplaces and amendment of the
disciplinary/conduct rules governing employees by incorporating the norms and guidelines.
The Department has circulated the Supreme Courts order to all Ministries/Departments
of the Government of India, Women Development Corporations and National Commission for
Women for compliance. A Complaints Committee for handling the complaints regarding sexual
harassment of women at workplace has been constituted in the Department in compliance of
the directions of the Supreme Court.

NATIONAL POLICY FOR THE
EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN

4.19.1 As a follow up action to the
commitments made by India during the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing
during September, 1995, the Department has drafted a National Policy for the Empowerment
of Women after nation-wide consultations to enhance the status of women in all walks of
life on par with men and actualize the constitutional guarantee of equality without
discrimination on grounds of sex. The comments/views of the concerned Central
Ministries/Departments. The process of consultation has been completed and action is being
taken to obtain Cabinet approval.

REVIEW AND AMENDMENT OF THE
LEGISLATION RELATING TO WOMEN

4.20.1 The Department of Women and
Child Development is reviewing the following four Acts with which it is administratively
concerned, with a view to make the provisions more stringent and to remove lacunae:

The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition)Act, 1886.

The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956

The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961.

The Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987.

4.20.2 The Department of WCD had entrusted
the work of reviewing the Indecent Representation of Women(Prohibition) Act, 1986 and
Immoral (Traffic) Prevention Act, 1956 to the National Law School of India, University
(NLSUI), Bangalore. The reports received from the National Law School in this regard were
been sent to NCW for comments. On the basis of the comments received from NCW with regard
to the amendments suggested by the National Law School of India in the Immoral Traffic
(Prevention) Act, 1956, the Department has prepared a draft Cabinet Note, which will be
circulated to the concerned Ministry/Departments. The comments of NCW with regard to the
NLSUIs report on the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986 has
been received and the matter is under examination. With respect to the other two
legislations, namely, Dowry Prohibition Act and Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act,
inter-ministerial consultations are being held to bring about the amendments.

REHABILITATION OF MARGINALIZED
WOMEN OF VRINDAVAN

4.21.1 The Central Government has set up a
Committee under the Chairpersonship of Minister of State for Women and Child Development
to co-ordinate the efforts of Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal Governments and Central
Government organizations for rehabilitation of the marginalized women of Vrindavan, to
monitor flow of benefits of various Schemes to the target group; to recommend a plan of
Action and implementation schedule for their rehabilitation etc. The Committee consists of
Chairpersons of NCW and CSWB, Secretaries of the Department of Women and Child
Development, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and Department of Youth Affairs
& Sports, Director General of Nehru Yuvak Kendra Sangathan, Joint Secretary(WD),
Department of Women and Child Development, Chief Secretaries of Uttar Pradesh and West
Bengal, besides representative of voluntary organizations and activists in the field.
Meetings were called by the Department of Women and Child Development (on 17.5.1999 in New
Delhi, on 29.5.1999 in Vrindavan and on 5.8.1999 in New Delhi) to identify action points
for rehabilitation of the marginalized women in Vrindavan. A meeting was also held under
the Chairpersonship of MOS, WCD on 2nd March 2000.

5.1.1 India is home to
more than 15 crore children below six years of age, the largest number for any country in
the world. The nation has a great responsibility to bring these children up as healthy,
responsible and capable citizens. During the last five decades, the Govt. has accorded the
highest priority to children in the development programmes, so as to meet their
challenging needs and rights, and bring them into the mainstream. Our commitment towards
children is evident from the constitutional provisions, including the Directive Principals
of State Policy. A number of policies have been adopted especially for children. The
government has also enacted legislation to reaffirm its commitment to the cause of child
survival, growth and development. Moreover, over the years, there has also been a massive
expansion of administrative machinery and infrastructure for child development.

5.1.2 The First Five-Year Plan (1951-56)
laid the foundation of balanced socio-economic development and this was the beginning of Planned Child Welfare and Development. The Second Five-Year
Plan (1956-61) aimed at an improvement in the living standards, increase in production and
diminution of economic and social inequalities. Thus we moved towards strengthening the
Child Welfare System. India went on to its Third Five Year Plan(1961-66) with an increased
emphasis on Intersectoral Coordination of Services for Children. The Fourth Five year Plan
(1969-74) focused on accelerating the tempo of development with a high priority on child
welfare efforts and promoting Basic Minimum Services for Children, culminating finally in
the adoption of a National Policy for Children in 1974. The Fifth Five Year Plan (1974-79)
saw a shift in focus from child welfare to child development and an emphasis on
Integration and Coordination of Services by launching the Integrated Child Development
Scheme during the year (1975). The Sixth Five Year Plan (1980-85) reiterated the approach
and strategy outlined in the Fifth Plan, and promoted consolidation and expansion of the
programmes started earlier. This was the era of Strengthening of Child Welfare and
Development. The Seventh Five year Plan (1985-90) led to Spatial Expansion and Enrichment
of Child Development Services through programmes in different sectors. The focus of the
Eighth Five Year Plan (1992-97) was on human development through Advocacy, Mobilisation
and Community Empowerment. The Government has declared its commitment to every
child, in the Ninth Plan (1997-2002). The challenge is to reach every young child
and his/her family, especially the disadvantaged, with the active participation of the
community to promote holistic development and growth.

Integrated Child Development
Services (ICDS) Scheme

5.2.1 The ICDS programme was launched
on 2 October 1975, in 33 blocks of the country. The Scheme has gradually expanded and at
present covers 4200 projects. The State-wise list of operational ICDS projects is at Annexure-VI.

5.2.2 The Government approved the
continuation of the ICDS scheme in the existing 4200 blocks/urban pockets with phased
expansion of the scheme in 390 additional blocks, upward revision of financial norms and
enhancement in quality improvement inputs during the remaining years of IXth Plan period.
In consonance with the decision of the Government, 130 additional projects are to be
operationalised in each year from 1999-2000 to 2001-2002. A proposal to sanction 130
projects during the current year is under submission, which will extend ICDS services to
13 lakh additional beneficiaries every year during the remaining Ninth Plan period.

Objectives

To improve the nutritional and health status of children below the
age of six years.

To lay the foundation for the proper psychological, physical and
social development of the child.

To reduce the incidence of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition and
school dropouts.

To achieve effective coordination of policy and implementation
among various departments to promote child development.

To enhance the capability of the mother to look after the normal
health and nutritional needs of the child, through proper health and nutrition education.

5.2.3 In addition to children below six
years of age, ICDS takes care of the essential needs of pregnant women and nursing mothers
residing in socially and economically backward villages and urban slums.

Services and Participants

5.2.4 The child-centered approach of
ICDS is based on the rationale that care, psychosocial development and the childs
health and nutritional well being mutually reinforce each other. The principal
beneficiaries under the scheme, that is, children below six years, expectant and nursing
mothers and women in the age group 15 to 45 years, avail the service of supplementary
feeding, growth monitoring and promotion, immunisation, health check-ups, referral
services, nutrition and health education and early childhood care and pre-school
education. In addition, there is coverage of other important supportive services such as
safe drinking water, environmental sanitation, womens development and education
programmes. The number of beneficiaries under the ICDS Scheme has significantly increased
over the years. As against 227 lakh beneficiaries including 189 lakh children and 38 lakh
women beneficiaries in March 1997, ICDS today reaches out to 309 lakh beneficiaries
including 55.9 lakh expectant and nursing mothers and 264.86 lakh children (under six
years of age), of disadvantaged groups. Of these, nearly 127 lakh children (three to six
years of age) participate in centre-based preschool education activities.

5.2.5 The programme offers a powerful
community based outreach system that functions as the convergent interface between the
disadvantaged communities and government programmes such as primary health care and
education for improved childcare, early stimulation and learning, health and nutrition,
water and environmental sanitation targeting young children, expectant and nursing mothers
and womens/ adolescent girls groups. They are reached through more than 5,00,000
trained community-based Anganwadi Workers and an equal number of helpers, a supportive
community structure/ womens groups through the Anganwadi Centre, the health system
and the community. ICDS provides increased opportunities for promoting early development,
associated with improved enrolment and retention in the early primary stage by releasing
girls from the burden of sibling care, and enabling them to participate in primary
education.

(A) Nutrition

Growth Monitoring and Promotion

Supplementary Feeding

Nutrition and health education (NHED).

Growth Monitoring and Promotion

5.2.6 Growth monitoring and nutrition
surveillance are two important activities that are in operation at the field level in
ICDS. Both are important for assessing the impact of the health and nutrition related
services. Children below the age of three years are weighed once a month and children from
three to six years are weighed quarterly. Fixed-day immunisation sessions or days when
mothers come to take home rations for younger children (below two years of age) are used
as opportunities for growth monitoring. In ICDS, weight-for-age growth cards are
maintained for all children below six years. Their growth chart is maintained to detect
growth faltering and assess their nutritional status.

5.2.7 Growth monitoring and promotion helps
the mother/family and AWW/ANM in taking timely, cost effective preventive action, to
arrest any stagnancy or slipping down in weight, through early detection of growth
faltering. Through discussion and counseling, growth monitoring also increases the
participation and capabilities of mothers in understanding and improving childcare and
feeding practices, for promoting child growth. It helps families understand better the
linkages between dietary intakes, healthcare, safe drinking water, environmental
sanitation and child growth. Growth monitoring and promotion can thus also be an effective
entry point for primary healthcare.

5.2.8 Recently, the concept of
community-based nutrition surveillance has been introduced in ICDS. A community chart for
nutrition status monitoring is maintained at each Anganwadi. This chart reflects the
nutritional status of all children registered with the Anganwadi, at any given point of
time - helping the community in understanding what the nutrition status of its children
is, why it is so and what can be done to improve it. This mobilises community support in
promoting and enabling better childcare practices, by contributing local resources and in
improving service delivery and utilisation.

Supplementary Feeding

5.2.9 The nutrition component of the
package of services offered under ICDS includes supplementary Nutrition, nutrition and
health education and prophylaxis against nutritional anaemia and Vitamin A
deficiency. The scheme provides supplementary nutrition to needy children and to expectant
and nursing mothers from low income families for 300 days a year. The aim is to supplement
nutritional intaken by 300 calories and 8-10 grams of proteins for children, 600 calories
and 20 grams of protein for severely malnourished children and 500 calories and 20-25 gram
protein for expectant and nursing mothers.

5.2.10 This pattern of feeding aims only at
supplementing and not substituting for family food. It also provides an important contact
opportunity with pregnant women and mothers of infants and young children, to promote
improved behavioral actions for the care of pregnant women and young children.
Specifically, it serves to reinforce the key message to promote appropriate and timely
complementary feeding at home, for infants who are four to six months of age, with a full
diet for young children by the age of one, and continued breast feeding up to two years.

5.2.11 The type of food varies from State
to State, but usually consists of a hot meal cooked at the Anganwadi, containing a varied
combination of pulses, cereals, oil, vegetables and sugar. Some States provide a ready-to
eat meal, containing the same basic ingredients. There is flexibility in the selection of
food items, to respond to local needs. The expenditure towards supplementary feeding is
met by the State under the Plan budget, available for Minimum Needs Programme. Food
supplements are provided to pregnant women and nursing mothers (up to six months of
nursing), to help them meet the increased requirements during this period. This provides a
crucial opportunity to counsel pregnant women, enabling utilization of key services i.e.
antenatal care, iron folic acid supplementation and improved care during pregnancy.
Pregnant women and nursing mothers are also counseled to promote exclusive breastfeeding
of infants up to about six months of age. They are encouraged to seek timely immunization
and commencement of appropriate and timely complementary feeding.

5.2.12 Special care is also taken to reach
children below the age of two years, and to encourage parents and siblings to either take
home ration, or to bring them to the Anganwadi for supplementary feeding. The take-home
ration is a contact opportunity for growth monitoring and promotion of children under two
years of age and nutrition counseling of mothers, for improved childcare and feeding
practices.

5.2.13 The national prophylaxis programme
for prevention of blindness caused by vitamin A deficiency, and control of nutritional
anemia among mothers and children, are two direct interventions integrated in ICDS.
Dietary promotion is an important part of nutrition health education and targeted
supplementation is provided. At nine months of age, 100,000 International Units (IU) of
vitamin A solution is administered to infants, along with immunisation against measles.
Children in the age group of one to five years receive 200,000 IU of vitamin A solution
every six months, with priority to children under three years of age.

5.2.14 Tablets of iron and folic acid are
administred to expectant mothers for prophylaxis and treatment and to children with
anemia. These supplements are dispensed by AWW/ANM, who monitor their utilisation. The
usage of only iodized salt is promoted, especially in the food supplement provided.

Nutrition and Health Education

5.2.15 Nutrition, Health and Education
(NHED) is a key element of the work of the Anganwadi worker. This has the long term goal
of capacity building of women - especially in the age group of 15-45 years - so that they
can look after their own health and nutrition needs as well as that of their children and
families. All women in this age group are expected to be covered by this component.

5.2.16 Anganwadi workers use fixed-day
immunization sessions, mother-child days, growth monitoring days, small group meetings of
mothers/Mahila Mandals, community and home visits, village contact drives and other
womens groups meetings (DWCRA, Mahila Samakhaya etc.), local festivals/ gatherings
for nutrition and health education. Presently there are nearly 1,00,000 Mahila Mandals
which are actively involved in extending nutrition and health education activities.

5.2.17 All efforts are made to reach out to
women, including pregnant women and nursing mothers. Sustained support and guidance has to
be provided in the period spanning pregnancy and early childhood, to mothers of young
children, building upon local knowledge, attitude and practices.This helps promote
antenatal care, maternal nutrition, exclusive breastfeeding of infants of four to six
months of age, timely immunisation, introduction of timely and appropriate complementary
feeding at home. NHED also promotes appropriate prevention and management of diarrhoeal
diseases (through ORT and continued feeding) and management of acute respiratory
infections, to promote child growth.

(B) Health

Health Care

Immunisation

Treatment of minor illness

Referral Services.

Health Care

5.2.18 This includes: (i) Ante natal
care of expectant mothers; (ii)Post natal care of nursing mothers and care of new born
infants; and (iii)Care of children under 6 years of age. The various health services
provided for children by AWWs and PHC staff include regular health check-ups, recording of
weight, immunization, management of malnutrition, treatment of diarrhoea, deworming and
distribution of simple medicines etc.

5.2.19 At the Anganwadi, children,
adolescent girls and pregnant women and nursing mothers are examined at regular intervals
by the Lady Health Visitor (LHV) and Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) who diagnose minor
ailments and distribute simple medicines. They provide a link between the village and the
Primary Health Care Sub-centre. Maternal and child health facilities are geared towards
providing adequate medical care during pregnancy, at the time of childbirth and
subsequently. It is aimed at reducing complications during pregnancy and reducing prenatal
mortality.

Immunisation

5.2.20 Immunisation of pregnant women
against tetanus and immunization of infants against six vaccine-preventable diseases -
poliomyelitis, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, tuberculosis and measles - protects
children from these diseases. These are major preventable causes of child mortality,
disability, morbidity and related malnutrition. Immunisation of pregnant women against
tetanus also reduces maternal and neonatal mortality.

5.2.21 The PHC and its subordinate health
infrastructure carries out immunisation of infants and expectant mothers as per the
national immunisation schedule. Children are also given booster doses. The AWW assist the
health functionaries in coverage of the largest population for immunization. She helps in
the organisation of fixed-day immunisation sessions. She maintains. immunisation records
of ICDS beneficiaries and follows it up to ensure full coverage.

Referral Services

5.2.22 During health check-ups and
growth monitoring, sick or malnourished children in need of prompt medical attention are
provided referral services through ICDS. The AWW has been oriented to detect disabilities
in young children. She enlists all such cases in a special register and refers them to the
medical officers. The effectiveness of this service depends on timely action, co-operation
from health functionaries and the willingness of families to avail of these services. The
Health Department in States/UTs identifies one hospital at the district level, which
attends to the referral cases coming from the ICDS areas.

(C) Early Childhood Care And
Pre-school Education

Early Childhood Care

Early Childhood Education

Early Childhood Care and
Pre-school Education

5.2.23 Early Childhood Care and
Pre-school Education under ICDS includes non formal pre-school education which is a
crucial component of the package of services envisaged under ICDS. It aims at
universalisation and qualitative improvement of primary education in remote and
socio-economically backward areas with special attention being given to girls. The Early
Childhood Care and Pre-school Education (ECCE) component of the ICDS may well be
considered the backbone of the ICDS programme, since all its services essentially converge
at the AW. This is also a joyful play way activity sustained for three hours. It brings
and keeps young children at the Anganwadi Centre and motivates parents and communities.
ECCE, as envisaged in the ICDS, focuses on the total development of the child, in the age
range of up to six years, from the underprivileged groups. It includes promotion of early
stimulation of the under-threes through intervention with mothers/ caregivers.
Child-centred play way activities, which build on local culture and practices, using local
support materials developed by Anganwadi workers through enrichment training, are
promoted. The early-childhood pre-school education programme, conducted through playway
methods, aims at providing a learning environment for the promotion of social, emotional,
cognitive, physical and aesthetic development of the child. Through ICDS, nearly 127 lakh
children (3-6 years of age), from disadvantaged groups, are participating in centre-based
pre-school play-way activities.

5.2.24 The ECCE component of the ICDS is a
significant input for providing a sound foundation for development. It also contributes to
the universalisation of primary education, by preparing the child for primary schooling
and offering substitute care to the younger siblings, thus freeing the older ones -
especially girls - to attend school.

5.2.25 For this, improved coordination
between the Anganwadi centres and primary schools, in terms of timings, location and
supportive linkages between the Anganwadi worker and primary school teacher are being
promoted.

Expenditure on ICDS

5.2.26 Alongside gradual expansion of
the Scheme, there has been a significant increase in the Central Governments
spending on implementation of the scheme during the 8th Plan period. As against the
expenditure of only Rs. 1190.21 crores during 17 years i.e. 1975-76 to 1991-92, the
expenditure during the 8th Plan period was 2271.28 crores. During 1998-99 against the
provision of Rs. 603.14 crores in BE the central expenditure was to the tune of Rs.795.84
crores. During 1999-2000 against a provision of Rs. 855.76 crores in BE, the expenditure
incurred up to February 2000 has been to the tune of approximately Rs. 850.86 crores. A
statement showing state-wise funds released under ICDS during the year 1999-2000 is at Annexure-VII.

Monitoring of ICDS

Management Information Systems

5.2.27 The ICDS programme is
characterised by an in built monitoring system for promoting assessment, analysis and
action at different levels, at which data is generated. A central cell established in the
Department collects and analyses periodic work reports. Based on this, programme
strategies are refined, and timely interventions made - ensuring effective programme
planning, implementation and monitoring. A national ICDS Management Information System
(MIS) working group facilitates this process. Each State Government has an MIS
coordination cell. Districts with more than five projects also have an ICDS monitoring
cell, at the district level, to facilitate programme monitoring. The implementation of
ICDS is closely monitored at regular intervals, with an emphasis on functional monitoring.
Corrective actions at different levels flow from such monitoring which continues to evolve
and improve the quantity and quality of the feedback and to generate prompt and
appropriate action. Similar implementation, monitoring and evaluation are done by the
health and social welfare sectors through an inter sectoral approach at the project,
district and state levels.

5.2.28 MIS ensures a regular flow of
information and feedback between each Anganwadi and the project, between the ICDS project
and the State Government, and between the State Government and the Govt. of India. The
flow of information is not only upwards - it is a two-way process and constitutes the
basis for discussion and improved action, at the level at which it is generated. This is
done through a Monthly Progress Report (MPR) and a Monthly Monitoring Report (MMR).

5.2.29. Under the National Plan to monitor
ICDS, Anganwadi workers compile standardised monthly and half-yearly reports based on
their register data. These reports are forwarded through supervisors to Child Development
Project Officers (CDPOs) who are responsible for forwarding the reports (MPRs) to the
State and Central ICDS Cells at the Department of Women and Child Development. MPRs
quantify the status of key input, process and output indicators pertaining to the major
components of ICDS service delivery, which can be used to manage operations.

5.2.30 Through monthly review meetings of
ICDS and health functionaries at various levels - block, district, division and state -
both MMRs and MPRs are discussed, for promoting joint action. Efforts are underway to
strengthen this process further.

5.2.31 DWCD compiles computerized quarterly
monitoring reports from the CDPOs. A State level performance statement is prepared of 8
indicators, comparing the performance of each state with the national performance. Copies
of these reports are also sent to the Planning Commission, Prime Ministers
Secretariat, National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) and
other Ministries/ Organisations involved in the ICDS Programme. Quarterly status reports
and performance reports are sent to the States nodal departments for taking
necessary corrective action.

5.2.32 The Department of Women and Child
Development have installed a micro-computer, and application software has been developed
on MIS for ICDS programme. The data in the prescribed format of CDPOs MPR from some of the
States has started flowing through this electronic medium. Recently, the Department has
developed a format for state level consolidated monitoring reports to strengthen the
monitoring system of ICDS at the State level. Information in this regard has started
coming from the States.

ICDS Scheme: Its Strengths
& Impact

5.2.33 The impact of ICDS, has been
quite dramatic on the health of the participant families. As a service delivery programme,
the ICDS has certain unique features, which constitute its areas of strength as enumerated
below:

The programme is village based and conducted by workers (anganwadi
workers & helpers), who are normally residents of the same village;

The Anganwadi Worker is supposed to maintain close contact with
individual households of the village, thus taking away the impersonal bureaucratic
approach.

The programme enlists the active help and participation of
voluntary organizations, social activists, academic institutions and professionals;

There is a built-in scope for convergence of Health, Nutrition and
Childhood Education Services at the Anganwadi level;

Two-thirds of the population covered by the ICDS programme
comprises of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other backward communities;

5.2.34 ICDS scheme has been subjected to
intensive research continuously. The impact of the programme is evident from: (a) Decrease
in prevalence of malnutrition among pre-school children; (b) Improvement in the
nutritional status of the children; (c) Improved immunisation coverage; (d) Decrease in
IMR and (e)Improvement in school enrolment and reduction in school dropout rate (source :
National evaluation of ICDS, NIPCCD 1992).

5.2.35 The most important impact of the
Scheme is clearly reflected in significant declines in the levels of severely malnourished
and moderately malnourished children and Infant Mortality Rates (source: National
Evaluation of ICDS, NIPCCD 1992). The percentage of children suffering from severe
malnutrition has significantly declined from 15.3% during 1976-78 to 8.7% during 1988-90
(figures published by National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau). The Infant Mortality Rates
have declined from 80 per 1000 live births in 1991 to 72 during 1998 (provisional
estimates) (Sample Registration System, October 1999).

5.2.36 NCAER is currently engaged in a
major nation wide evaluation of ICDS, covering about 4000 blocks in all States/Union
Territories. This nationwide evaluation study of ICDS Scheme was undertaken through a
number of research organisations under the umbrella cover of National Council of Applied
Economic Research (NCAER), The Pilot study, which commenced in July 1996, was carried out
in ten ICDS Blocks in five states of Gujarat, H.P., Karnataka, U.P and West Bengal.
Considering the usefulness of the results of the pilot study, a national ICDS evaluation
study has been entrusted to NCAER. The National report of the survey is expected in April
2000.

Reaching the Adolescent Girls

5.2.37 ICDS, with its opportunities for
early childhood development, seeks to reduce both socioeconomic and gender inequities. In
order to better address concerns for women and the girl child, it was necessary to design
interventions for adolescent girls. This is aimed at breaking the intergenerational life
cycle of nutritional disadvantage, and providing a supportive environment for
self-development.

5.2.38 For the first time in India, during
1991-92, a special intervention was devised for adolescent girls, using the ICDS
infrastructure. This intervention focuses on school dropouts, girls in the age group of
11-18 years, to meet their needs of self-development, nutrition, health, education,
literacy, recreation and skill formation.

5.2.39 It was felt that while programmes
existed for young children in the age group 6 months to 6 years (through the ICDS), the
young girls in the age group 6-11 years (through the Formal Schooling System) and for
mothers (through ICDS and MCH), there was no specific programme catering to vast section
of unmarried school drop-out adolescent girls in the age group of 11-18 years.This scheme
was, therefore introduced, as an integral part of ICDS, in 507 selected blocks to bridge
this gap and to achieve the following objectives :

to improve
the malnutrition and health status of girls in the age group of 11-18 years;

to provide
to them the required literacy and numeracy skills through the non-formal stream of
education, to stimulate a desire for more
social exposure and knowledge and to help them
improve their decision making
capabilities;

to train
and equip adolescent girls to improve and upgrade home-based skills;

to promote
awareness of health, hygiene, nutrition and family welfare, home management and child
care, and to take all measures to facilitate their marrying only after attaining the age
of 18 years and if possible, even later.

5.2.40 The adolescent girls scheme was
designed to include 2 sub-schemes viz. Scheme- I (Girl to Girl Approach) and Scheme-II
(Balika Mandal). The Scheme-I has been designed for adolescent girls in the age group of
11-15 years belonging to families whose income level is below Rs. 6400/- per annum. Under
the Girl to Girl Approach (Sub-Scheme I), all adolescent girls in the age group of 11-15
years belonging to families whose income level is below Rs. 6400/- per annum in rural
areas are eligible for receiving services such as hands on learning experience at the
Anganwadi Centres while being attached to the Anganwadis for a period of 6 months,
education sessions, health check-up and supplementary nutrition. Under this Scheme, 12
girls are identified in every anganwadi village in a year.

5.2.41 The Balika Mandal (Sub-Scheme II) is
designed for the girls in the age group of 11-18 years. In each block, ten percent of the
Anganwadi Centres implementing Scheme-I (i.e. Girl to Girl Approach) are selected to serve
as "Balika Mandals". The existing anganwadi centres are used for the activities
of the Balika Mandal. The Balika Mandal Programme is drawn up in a participative manner
keeping the interests and skills of girls in mind with a view to ensure that the enrolled
girls actively participate, and these girls and their families perceive these activities
as beneficial. On an average, an adolescent girl participates in the activities of Balika
Mandal for a period of 6 months. Each Balika Mandal caters to about 40 adolescent girls in
a year and the activity components include learning, through sharing experiences, training
of vocational skills/agro-based skills and household related appropriate technology. In
addition supplementary nutrition is also provided to the adolescent girls enrolled in
Balika Mandals.

5.2.42 This scheme attempts to mobilise and
enhance the potential of adolescent girls as social animators. It also seeks to improve
their capabilities in addressing nutrition and health issues-through centre-based
instructions, training camps and hands-on learning as well as sharing of experiences. So
far, about 3.50 lakh adolescent girls have been provided with vital services aimed at
improving their nutritional and health status and enabling their self-development. A
statement showing state-wise number of adolescent Girls covered under the scheme is at Annexure-VIII.

5.2.43 There has also been persistent
demand from the States on the urgent need to provide cover of ICDS to adolescent girls in
all the ICDS Projects as programmes aimed at improving the nutritional and health status
of adolescent girls and promoting self-development, awareness of health, hygiene,
nutrition, family welfare and management. It is well recognised that this could
significantly improve the health and nutritional status of women and children and promote
the decision making capabilities of women. During January, 2000 approval of CCEA has been
obtained to further expand the Adolescent Girls scheme in 1493 additional blocks during
the remaining Ninth Five Year Plan period.

New Initiatives

5.2.44 A number of new initiatives have
been taken during recent years to strengthen the impact of ICDS which are enumerated
below;

Management of Disability in ICDS: ICDS
constitutes the largest outreach programme for reaching the young child of disadvantaged
communities including the one in ten child affected by, or likely to be affected by
impairment and disabilities.The need and scope for integrating prevention and early
detection of childhood disabilities with ICDS services have long been a major concern of
DWCD. The earliest guidebook for anganwadi workers included the topic of prevention and
detection on early childhood disabilities among children. It has been decided that the
anganwadi workers will suitably be trained to discharge their functions in the following
spheres: i) Prevention of disability, ii) Early detection, iii) Creation of awareness; and
iv) Making appropriate references etc. Simple check lists have been provided in anganwadis
for detecting early childhood disabilities like blindness, speech & hearing
disabilities, mental retardation, locomotor impairment etc.

Community Partnership: The 73rd and the
74th constitutional amendments have created vibrant new partnerships to reach the most
disadvantaged and undeserved and the most vulnerable young child. In some States,
devolution of powers to Panchayati Raj institutions has also involved the transfer of some
functions of managing and monitoring ICDS to district Zilla parishads, block Panchayat
Samitis and Gram panchayats. This constitutes a major opportunity for rooting development
programmes more firmly in the community with the active participation of women. The Gram
Panchayat will help to create a supportive environment for childcare, by enlisting better
team work from frontline workers, (ANMs, AWWs, school teachers) to ensure convergence of
services. It will also help promote the participation of communities, in understanding the
needs of children and women and finding local ways to respond to them. The department has
recently initiated steps for the constitution of Baal Vikas Mahila Samitis at village,
block and district levels, with representatives from women Panchayat members, NGOs and
ICDS functionaries. This is for integrated community-based monitoring of all programmes
for women and children, especially the ICDS.

Strengthening the processes for Womens
Empowerment: Mobilising women for promoting their own health, nutritional well being
and self-development as well as that of their children is an underlying principle of ICDS.
This was further strengthened by the introduction of the ICDS adolescent girls
scheme in 507 blocks.

Opening of Mini-Anganwadis to cover remote and
low populated hamlets: To cover the small hamlets/villages in the country in Tribal
Blocks having less than 300 population and situated in far flung areas where the
beneficiaries might be deprived of the benefits of the Scheme, and to provide benefits of
the Scheme to each and every child who is entitled to it, it has been decided by the
Department to open Mini-Anganwadis in small hamlets/pockets in Tribal Blocks which are in
far flung and in remote areas. It is proposed that 10 Mini Anganwadi Centres can be opened
in lieu of a full-fledged Anganwadi. There may be one main Anganwadi out of 10. A Mini
Anganwadi can be proposed for a population of 150 in a village/hamlet. It should be
located within one km from the main Anganwadi and there should be 15 to 20 beneficiaries
therein. A Woman/adolescent girl is made responsible for distribution of ration to
beneficiaries. An honorarium of Rs.50/- to be paid to Mini Anganwadi worker who provides
cooked hot food to the Anganwadi beneficiaries. The maintenance of 10 Mini anganwadi is
managed within the cost of Anganwadi norms of Rs. 11,200/- p.a. The provision of nutrition
is to be ensured by the State Government from their own resources. Uptil now, 1881
mini-Anganwadi Centres have been sanctioned in tribal blocks of Maharashtra, 25
mini-anganwadi centres in Andhra Pradesh, 1708 in the tribal blocks of Orissa and 2878
mini-anganwadi centres were sanctioned in Madhya Pradesh under World Bank Assistance.

Integration of Ayurveda and Indian system of
Medicines in ICDS Scheme: The issue of inclusion of Ayurvedic medicines in Medicine
Kits given to Anganwadis under ICDS Scheme was undertaken during this year. Instructions
have been issued to State Directors of Ayurveda to further instruct ISM&H doctors to
regularly visit AWCs in rural and remote areas. A list of simple home remedies for common
ailments and a list of Ayurvedic medicines to be included in the Medicine Kits being
procured by this Department are supplied to AWCs. A training module for AWWs in Ayurveda
and Ayurvedic concept of life style is being developed which can be fitted in to the basic
training course meant for AWWs.

Reaching the Unreached: Some of the new community-based,
locally relevant approaches developed to reach the unreached are : Poriyawadis in Madhya
Pradesh, urban day care for migrant construction workers in Rajasthan and mini anganwadi
centres to reach scattered tribal hamlets.

Decentralisation as a flexible response to
women and child care: Area specific programme strategies were developed to achieve the
National Plan of Action for Children goals and fulfill young childrens right to
survival, growth, development and protection.

Fostering innovations: Enhanced support for piloting and
experimenting new approaches to care of women and children, focusing on the pre-natal
under three-years age group.

Addressing gender disparities across the life
cycle: Redesigning ICDS training to address gender issues, reaching out to the
community and other partners, and use of child - friendly techniques such as
Meena.

Focus on preventing low birth weight and
malnutrition, as early as possible, across the life cycle: Village contact drives and
other community mobilization efforts in many states including Rajasthan, Orissa, West
Bengal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

Improving training quality: Udisha
is the Rs. 600 crore nationwide training component of the Women and Child Development
Project. Developed through a participatory process, it is now effective, with state
training plans in all states and union territories.

Promoting early joyful learning: Enhanced
support for innovative training of functionaries; early play/learning support material in
all anganwadi centres and convergence with DPEP

Learning
from Experience

5.2.45 The ICDS experience since 1975
has taught several valuable lessons with greater applicability to the development of human
resources:

Community- based women workers can be effective and viable
instruments of human resource development, if these workers are supported with training
guidance and necessary material inputs.

An integrated approach, including a package of mutually supportive
services, is more cost effective and efficient than individual services delivered
separately.

Community ownership is fundamental to improved programme quality,
impact and sustenance.

Flexibility in responding to local patterns of womens work
and time is critical for reaching younger children more effectively.

The ICDS type of network makes it feasible and easier to apply new
simple technology on a large scale.

The flow of human and material inputs has to be planned in detail
and monitored very carefully, with community participation.

Field experience needs to be continuously reviewed and utilized for
strengthening training.

Need for continuous enrichment of training and development of
standardized training modules with focus on core items.

Looking Ahead: The Vision

Setting up of the National
Committee for Reviewing Benefits/facilities Being Provided to Anganwadi Workers and
Helpers

5.2.46 In the State Ministers and
Secretaries conference of the Department of Women and Child Development held during July,
1998, the Minister of Human Resource Development stated that a Committee will be
constituted with definite terms of reference for going into the whole gamut of issues
affecting the service conditions of the Anganwadi Workers and helpers and exploring the
avenues for increasing the honoraria being paid to Anganwadi Workers and Helpers.

Therefore, a National Committee was set up
in the Department of Women and Child Development to take stock of the service conditions
and duties of the Anganwadi Workers and Helpers and to identify the involved
Ministeries/Departments/States which can provide additional remuneration to the Anganwadi
Workers and helpers functioning under the centrally sponsored ICDS Scheme. Besides the
representatives of the concerned Central Department, representatives of some State Govts.
which have taken initiative to increase the honoraria of Anganwadi Workers have also been
included in this Committee. The Committee was set up under the chairpersonship of Joint
Secretary, DWCD, and is in the process of finalising its Report.

Setting up of a National
Committee to celebrate the completion of 25 years of implementation of ICDS scheme

The Integrated Child Development Scheme
has entered its 25th year on 2nd October 1999, completing a quarter of a century of rich
programme experience. This is an opportune time to reflect on the achievements as well as
challenges and opportunities for early child development in the new millennium. A
Committee under the Chairpersonship of the Joint Secretary has been set up in the
Department to celebrate the completion of 25 years of the ICDS scheme. This will
contribute to a nationwide quality enrichment initiatives for ICDS and the emerging
national vision for the young child in the 21st century.

ICDS booklet released by the
Honble Minister of HRD, GOI on 14th November 1999

The booklet outlines a new rights based
vision for the young child in the 21st century, rededicating ICDS to promoting early
childhood care for survival, development, protection and participation. The vision is
drawn from the rich experience of state specific innovations and quality improvement
initiatives.

Moving Towards Universalisation

5.2.47 The experience of ICDS during
the last two and a half decades has the potential of bringing about a silent revolution
and is a profound instrument of enhancing community and human resource development. The
scheme has witnessed an expansion that is unprecedented. Over the years, it has responded
flexibly to different area-specific situations and local community needs, through evolving
State specific programme strategies. The commitment to achieve universal coverage of ICDS
in the new millennium, is reflected in increased Central plan and State Government
allocation for ICDS. The approved provision for the scheme during the Ninth Five Year Plan
(1997-98 to 2001-2002) is Rs. 4979.88 crores. From the 4200 sanctioned ICDS projects (as
of March, 1999), it is proposed to scale up to more than 5,000 projects in a phased
manner. Steps are also proposed to increase the number of sanctioned anganwadi centres in
older existing ICDS projects, based on block population estimates of the 1991 census.

A Vision for young children in
India in the 21st century

Ensuring the best possible start to life of the young child to
learn, to do, to live together and to be.

A common understanding of Early Child Development as an entry point
for Indias human development strategy, where a good start of life within a nurturing
family environment is the basic foundation for the childs future growth and
development.

A comprehensive Child-centred approach which respects cultural
patterns and diversity and which takes into consideration the health, nutritional,
cognitive, emotional and social needs of the child. An approach driven by "the best
interests of the child".

A family focused approach, which empowers families as the first line
of action in providing care and protection and encourages shared parenting and caring
responsibilities.

A community based approach, which is locally relevant, and is
conceived, planned and managed by the community. One that leads to a community-based
mechanism to monitor and track childcare and development, especially for families and
children at risk.

A gender sensitive approach that seeks to ensure the realization of
the rights of girls and women, through focused interventions across the life cycle, and
especially in early childhood.

Creating an enabling joyful learning environment for the young
child in the family, community, and at childcare centres.

Promoting preventive approaches to malnutrition and disability-
intervening as early as possible, across the life cycle, ensuring early childhood care for
survival, growth, development, protection and participation.

Focusing on the more crucial and vulnerable age group in the
prenatal to under 3 years period.

Especially addressing children and families/communities that are
disadvantaged, most vulnerable and at risk.

An equity norm, which entitles every family to claim access to
quality childcare interventions and support.

Ensuring that children can realize their full potential in health,
learning and earning, as respected and informed citizens, able to participate in decisions
which affect their lives.

Ensuring that realization of child rights flow from, and
contributes to the growth of cohesive and inclusive societies.

A rights perspective, wherein every childs rights to
survival, development, protection and participation are fulfilled, through new
partnerships of parents, communities, civil societies and governments to meet their
obligations to children.

5.2.48 ICDS is a resource for development
and a tool for social change. In the coming years, ICDS needs to be strengthened to be a
vehicle for empowering the community and creating an environment for child survival,
protection and development. The challenge is one of broadening the spectrum of the ICDS
package of services, spatial expansion of the programme with enrichment of its content.
There is a need for convergence of more essential services to make the programme
effective.

A few Success Stories of the ICDS scheme
are given at Annexure-IX.

World Bank Assisted ICDS Projects

5.3.1 There has been substantial
progress in human development since independence in our country but still more than half
of our children under four years of age are moderately or severely malnourished.
Malnutrition and other early childhood deprivations not only affect the lives of
individuals and families, but also reduce the returns on investment in health, education
and poverty alleviation and act as a major barrier to social and economic progress and
overall, better life chances.

5.3.2 The World Bank has supported early
childhood development efforts in India since 1980 though several projects, viz. Tamil Nadu
Integrated Nutrition Project - I (TINP-I) in 1980-89, TINP-II Project in 1990-97, ICDS-I
Project in 1991-97, ICDS-II Project in 1993-2000, ICDS-APER in 1998-2004 and the
ICDS-III/Women and Child Development Project in 1998-2004.

5.3.3 The above projects have helped in
better targeting, improvement of family nutrition and health practices, strengthening of
maternal and child services and improvement of the quality of pre school education. The
recently effective ICDS-III Project has laid special emphasis on improving service quality
through (a) focus on the under three year old children (b) targeting the most needy and
marginalised households, (c) improving overall health/nutrition coordination by
supplementing supply of drugs (iron-folic acid and deworming drugs for adolescent girls),
improving health referral services (d) improving growth monitoring and promotion (e)
effectively reaching supplementary feeding to under 3s and severely malnourished children
and (f) improving Early Childhood Education. This, together with improved community
participation, womens empowerment (adolescent girls component), training,
communications, and quality program management (quality circles, award/incentives etc.)
form the core of the service quality improvement strategies.

5.3.4 The World Bank has committed an
investment of about US $750 million since 1980 to the Early Childhood Development which is
the largest in this area for any country. The details are as follows: -

I. Tamil Nadu Integrated
Nutrition Project - I (TINP-I)(1980-89)

5.3.5 TINP-I was implemented in 173
blocks in 16 districts of Tamil Nadu and a population of over 10 million was served. The
Project emphasized growth monitoring through monthly weighing of all children 6-36 months
old, in order to target delivery of health, nutrition and food supplementation and to
educate mothers for better caring-feeding practices. A total of US $ 32 million was
received as IDA credit. This was a State sector project.

II. Tamil Nadu Integrated
Nutrition Project-II (TINP-II)(1990-97)

5.3.6 TINP-II was implemented in 318
blocks in 19 districts and IDA credit of US $ 67.5 million was utilised.

III. ICDS-I Project (1991-97)

5.3.7 The project was implemented in
the States of Andhra Pradesh (110 blocks, in 13 districts) and Orissa (191 blocks in 12
districts). The population served in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa was 12.9 million and 9.5
million respectively. This was the first World bank assisted ICDS project in India. The
project disbursed a total of US $ 74.3 million and helped to expand ICDS to a large number
of tribal blocks in both states and also supported infrastructure development viz.
Construction of Anganwadi Centres (AWCs), Child Development Project office buildings
and installation of handpumps and standard supplies. The project has had many success
stories. In Andhra Pradesh under the womens empowerment component a very large
number of women were trained in masonry. In both the states, the women income generation
component also achieved good success. Innovation in Adolescent Girls Scheme and training
of ICDS functionaries was introduced.

IV. ICDS-II Project (1993-2000)

5.3.8 The project is currently being
implemented in the States of Bihar (210 blocks) and Madhya Pradesh (244 blocks). The total
outlay is Rs. 596.2 crores (Madhya Pradesh Rs.339.1 crores, Bihar Rs.257 crores). So far
Rs. 180.2 crores and Rs.270.8 crores have been released to Bihar and Madhya Pradesh
(December 1999) respectively. The approved IDA credit is US $ 194 million. Despite a slow
start the project has picked up very well in both States. The expansion of ICDS scheduled
under the project has been achieved and a large number of civil works completed. The
service quality improvement is being addressed through improved health/nutrition
coordination (joint training) and improved decentralised pre service and in service
training of functionaries besides improved physical inputs. Comparison of the National
Family Health /Survey (1992-93) data with NFHS (1999) and India Nutrition Profile (1998)
data indicates that there has been improvement in Bihar in growth and survival indicators
over the life of the project.

V. ICDS-III/Women and Child
Development Project (1998-2004)

5.3.9 The World Bank Assisted ICDS-III project covers
the five states of Kerala, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. The
approved IDA (World Bank) credit over the project period is US $ 300 million (including
nationwide training component). It is proposed to cover 1003 blocks with 318 new blocks
where ICDS would be introduced and 685 old blocks where the services would be enriched.
The year wise details are
as follows:-

YEAR WISE PHASING OF ICDS BLOCKS
UNDER ICDS III PROJECT

Sl. No.

State

Year I (1998-2000)

Year II (2000-2001)

Year III (2001-2002)

Total

Grand Total

Old

New

Old

New

Old

New

Old

New

1.

Uttar Pradesh

100

20

90

30

-

60

190

110

300

2.

Tamil Nadu

318

-

-

-

-

-

318

-

318

3.

Maharashtra

74

54

-

45

-

-

74

99

173

4.

Rajasthan

66

32

-

34

-

-

66

66

132

5.

Kerala

37

20

-

23

-

-

37

43

80

Total

595

126

90

132

-

60

685

318

1003

The total outlay of the project (including the training
component) is Rs. 1000.11 crores. To date Rs. 75.90 crore has been released to the state
for project implementation. The details are as follows: -

Sl. NO

State

Allocation

Fund released so far(upto 31.12.1999)

1.

Kerala

152.45

10.31

2.

Maharashtra

281.00

24.48

3.

Rajasthan

190.67

12.99

4.

Tamil Nadu

86.95

11.61

5.

Uttar Pradesh

274.37

16.51

6.

CPMU

14.67

-

Total

1000.11

75.90

5.3.11 The
project would support all costs for the expansion and incremental operation costs for the
old blocks. The project components are as follows: -

The project is in the first year of
implementation and the preparatory activities are in progress.

VI. ICDS-APER Project
(1998-2004)

5.3.12 The ICDS component of the Andhra
Pradesh Economic Restructuring Programme was approved in March 1999. It covers a total of
251 blocks inclusive of 143 new blocks, universalising ICDS in the rural and tribal areas
and in the 108 old blocks which were not covered under ICDS-I project for quality
improvement. The total outlay is Rs.392.75 crores with IDA (World Bank) credit of US $ 75
million. The Government of India has so far released Rs.79.4 crores (till 31.1.2000). The
project has made satisfactory progress and is on a fast track as far as construction
activities are concerned and the women are being oriented to work as social mobilizers for
reaching project development objectives and outcomes. The procurement and distribution of
supplementary feeding is being decentralised with greater community involvement in
monitoring at the village level.

WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME PROJECT
2206

5.4.1 World Food Programme (WFP), a
United Nations ageny, under its Project 2206 extends food aid for supplementary nutrition
to children below six years of age and to expectant and nursing mothers under the
Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme. There is a Country Programme (CPI)
for India for a five-year period from 1st April 1997 to 31st March 2001. The WFP Project
2206 has already completed six phases from March 1976 to 31st March 1999.

5.4.2 The Plan of Operations for Expansion Phase VII of WFP
Project 2206 was signed between the Government of India and the WFP on 1st June, 1999 for
a period of three years to cover beneficiaries in the six States of Assam, Kerala, Madhya
Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh and the new State of Orissa taken up under WFP
assistance with effect from 11 November, 1999. In addition to this, 3500 MTs of food is
also available from Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) assistance for the
State of Rajasthan, which will cover an additional 2.30 lakh beneficiaries. Accordingly,
revised allocation of 54,900 MTs of food for a total of 31.72 lakh beneficiaries has been
distributed amongst the WFP assisted States up to 31 December, 2000 as follows:

Sl.No.

Name of the State

Revised allocation during
1.4.99 to 31.3.200

No. of Beneficiaries (in lakh)

Food Commodity (in MTs)

1.

Assam

1.72

2,650

2.

Kerala

4.31

8,500

3.

Madhya Pradesh

7.20

12,300

4.

Rajasthan*

6.80*

10,400*

5.

Uttar Pradesh

8.34

15,650

6.

Orissa**

3.35**

5,400**

Total

31.72

54,900

* This includes 3500 Mts Canadian
International Development Agency (CID) assistance for the State of Rajasthan to cover 2.30
lakh beneficiaries.

** Orissa was included as WFP assisted
(new) state w.e.f 11.11.1999.

5.4.3 WFP is providing a single
micronutrient fortified blended food - either Corn Soya Blend (CSB) or locally produced
Indiamix which is cooked with jaggery and condiments to suit local tastes. The CSB is
being imported through the Ports of Cochin, Calcutta and Jamnagar. The Department of Women
and Child Development, Government of India is reviewing WFP Project 2206 biannually in the
meetings of the Food Aid Advisory Sub Committee (FAASC).

5.4.4 WFP also gives assistance for the
following non-food programmes:

(i) The Better Health and Nutrition (BHN)
Project (with a total cost of Rs.175.67 lakhs) is being implemented in Sirohi and Udaipur
districts in the State of Rajasthan since March, 1997. The project is in collaboration
with CARE India. The projects aim is to improve the nutritional status of women and
children and reduce the rates of malnutrition and mortality.

(ii) Improving Child Survival through the
ICDS (with a total cost of Rs.81.65 lakh) in Banswara district of Rajasthan is in
operation since December 1996. The project mainly aims to reduce the extent of childhood
malnutrition through a campaign on timely initiation of complementary feeding and
increased convergence of ongoing women and child development programmes.

CARE- INDIA ASSISTED PROGRAMMES

5.5.1 The Government of India signed an
agreement with CARE (Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere) on 6th March 1950.
The primary purpose of this agreement is to facilitate and maximize voluntary gifts of
food commodities by individuals and organisations in India. The Department of Women and
Child Development, Government of India is the nodal Department for implementation of
CARE-Indias programmes. The implementation of CARE-Indias programmes is
carried out by the State Governments implementing the ICDS programme. CARE-India assisted
programmes have been broadly classified in two parts (i) Food Programmes and (ii) Non-Food
Programmes.

FOOD PROGRAMMES

5.5.2 CARE-India extends food aid for
supplementary nutrition to children below six years of age and to pregnant and nursing
mothers in the ICDS programme. In accordance with the List of Provisions (LOP) approved
for 1999-2000, CARE-India has committed to supply food aid to 66.05 lakh beneficiaries
distributed in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan,
Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The food commodities include vegetable oil and a highly
nutritious blend of corn and soya. These are cooked with other food items such as jaggery
and condiments to make the food tasty and acceptable. CARE food is received in India at
the ports of Calcutta, Vizag, Jamnagar and Paradeep. State-wise beneficiaries and food
allocation is given below:

Sl.
No

State

No.of . Beneficiaries(in lakh)

Food Commodity (in MTs )

1.

Andhra Pradesh

7.87

21,249

2.

Bihar

8.86

23,922

3.

Madhya Pradesh

9.82

26,514

4.

Orissa

12.16

32,832

5.

Rajasthan

6.44

17,388

6.

Uttar Pradesh

9.97

22,732

7.

West Bengal

10,93

29,511

NON-FOOD
PROGRAMMES

CARE-Indias Integrated Nutrition and Health Programme
(INHP) is being implemented in all the seven CARE assisted States. The Project is in
operation for a period of five years with effect from April, 1996 to March, 2001 A.D. with
a total budget of Rs.113.16 crore aiming to improve the health and nutritional status of
women and children by directing resources and efforts to achieve those changes in health
behavior which lead to a reduction in mortality and malnutrition. State level advisory
groups have also been set up in each of the seven States to facilitate implementation.

Improving Womens Reproductive Health and Family Planning
Project in the State of Uttar Pradesh for a period of five years with a total budget
of Rs.3.22 crore. The project is in operation in two districts of Uttar Pradesh, namely,
Sitapur and Shahjahanpur. The project aims to empower women to make informal decisions
about their reproductive health including the number and spacing of children.

Improving Womens Health in Urban Slum Project in Allahabad,
Uttar Pradesh has completed its implementation phase for a period of six years with a
total budget of Rs.89.65 lakh with an aim to significantly reduce mortality among 28,000
women (15-45 years) in 65 of the neediest authorized slums of Allahabad. Community based
womens reproductive health care services are created and extended, along with
increased proficiency of Private Medical Practitioners (PMPs) and public sector personnel
in providing reproductive health care. CARE India has proposed for an extension of this
project for another term of five years with an estimated cost of Rs.3.42 crores. The
proposal is under consideration by this Department.

Improved Health Care for Adolescent Girls in Urban Slums Project
in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh for a period of six years with a total budget of Rs.2.22
crores. The project aims at a significant reduction in the morbidity and mortality
associated with reproductive health among adolescent girls, both unmarried and married, in
the slums of Jabalpur.

Girls Primary Education (GPE) Project for a period of five
years with a total budget of Rs.6.80 crore in the States of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
The projects aim is to increase girls access to education in collaboration
with local NGOs and community groups.

Credit Rotation for Empowerment and Development Through
Institution Building and Training (CREDIT) Project for a period of five years with a
total cost of Rs.11.22 crore. The proposal is a joint venture of the WFP and CARE-India.
The project proposes to expand the savings and credit portfolio of rural women in
partnership with local NGOs in the State of Orissa.

Maternal and Infant Survival Project with Canadian
International Development Agency (CIDA) assistance is in operation in the State of Madhya
Pradesh with an aim to improve the health and nutritional status of women and children in
five Blocks in Hoshangabad Division and six Blocks in Bhopal Division. The total cost of
the project is estimated at Rs.19.66 crore for a period of two years and six months with
effect from 22 October 1998.

UDISHA, the ICDS Training
Programme

5.6.1 UDISHA, which in Sanskrit means
the first rays of the new dawn, is the nation wide training component of the World Bank
assisted Women and Child Development Project. The aim of UDISHA is to develop all
functionaries into agents of social change, as people who can shape situations and who can
act positively at all times. UDISHA recognizes parents and communities as the ultimate
link in the training chain where behavioral change must take place to promote care,
development and active learning of the young child.

5.6.2 It envisages a key transformation in
approaches to the training of child-care functionaries and caregiver education. This is
through a holistic approach to the young child, reflected in a new child centered
curriculum that is structured along the life cycle and development continuum of the child.
Greater emphasis is placed on addressing the development needs of the prenatal and the
under three-year-old child. The emphasis is on locally responsive participatory learning
and action processes.

5.6.3 UDISHA seeks to address the physical,
social, emotional and intellectual development of children, by promoting a convergence of
actions in the areas of health, nutrition, early learning and better parenting. It also
promotes affirmative action to raise the status of women and support improved care of
women and girls as well as enhanced involvement of men and families in childcare. UDISHA
is seen as an important element in empowering child-care workers, parents and communities
for a continuous process of assessment, analysis and informed action - to promote the
fulfillment of young childrens rights in the communities in which children live,
grow and develop.

5.6.4 The functionaries trained in the
programme include the Anganwadi Workers, Supervisors, Additional Child Development Project
Officers (ACDPOs), Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs), Medical Officers (MOs) and
paramedical staff. Training institutions include the National Institute of Public
Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD), its three Regional Centres, Middle Level
Training Centres (MLTCs) and Anganwadi Workers Training Centres (AWTCs) run by voluntary
organizations in cooperation with the State Governments.

Training of Anganwadi
Workers/Helpers

5.6.5 For imparting training to
Anganwadi workers, the grassroots level functionaries of the scheme, there are 470
Anganwadi Workers Training Centres (AWTCs) in the country. AWTCs are being opened at the
request of the State Government/UT based on their requirement.

5.6.6 Anganwadi Workers initially receive
three-months basic job training, followed by monthly visits from a medical team and
subsequent refresher courses. Refresher training is imparted after one-and-a-half years.
In 1998-99, 33412 Anganwadi workers were trained. During 1999-2000, 26,926 Anganwadi
workers have been trained upto September 1999.

Training of Supervisors

5.6.7 For imparting training to
Supervisors, the middle-level functionaries of the scheme, there are around 39 Middle
Level Training Centres (MLTCs) in the country, which are academic and professional
institutions, in the government or voluntary sector. The three regional centres of NIPCCD
at Lucknow, Guwhati and Bangalore also act as MLTCs. Training is imparted to Supervisors
to help them acquaint themselves with various components of the scheme, and in developing
appropriate skills in supervision, and programme management. Refresher training is
imparted after one-and-a-half years. In 98-99, 933 Supervisors were trained. During
1999-2000, 571 Supervisors have been trained up to November 1999.

5.6.8 The training of CDPOs/ACDPOs is
conducted by NIPCCD at its headquarters at New Delhi, its three regional centres and at
approved State Institutes. On joining service, CDPOs/ACDPOs are given job training of
two-months, followed by a refresher training of a weeks duration, on completion of
two years service. During the training, efforts are made to familiarize them with
various aspects of the ICDS Scheme, including organizational and administrative
structures, with special emphasis on field training and placement in rural, tribal and
urban ICDS projects. In 1998-99, 384 CDPOs/ACDPOs were trained. During 1999-2000, 214
CDPOs/ACDPOs have been trained.

5.6.10 UDISHA has an outlay of Rs. 600
crore over a five-year period from 1999. UNICEF is a technical collaborator in the
programme, which was declared effective on 4 October 1999. During the year 1998-99, an
amount of Rs. 40 crore was released. Under the UDISHA programme, an amount of Rs. 25 crore
(approx) has so far been released during the year 1999-2000 for the implementation of this
programme.

5.6.11 Project Launch workshops were held
with the State Nodal officers in Manesar, Haryana from 16-18 July 1999 & from 23-25
July 1999 and for the State Directors dealing with UDISHA at Goa on 27-28 July 1999.

5.6.12 A National level meeting of State/UT
nodal officers in charge of UDISHA was held at Goa on 28-29 January 2000, and of State
Directors in Udaipur on 15-16 February, 2000.

5.6.13 Under UDISHA, the Government of
India nominated three officers of the Department to attend the International Course on
Food and Nutrition Programme Management organized by the International Agriculture Centre
at Wageningen, the Netherlands from 17th October 1999 to 27th November 1999.

CRECHES/DAY CENTRES FOR CHILDREN
OF WORKING/AILING MOTHERS

5.7.1 The Central Sector scheme of
running Creches/Day Care Centres was started in 1975 in pursuance of the priority
objectives of the National Policy for Children adopted in 1974. It aims to provide day
care services for the children (0-5 years) of mainly casual, migrant, agricultural and
construction labourers. The children of those women who are sick or incapacitated due to
sickness or suffering from communicable diseases are also covered under the scheme which
is framed to cater to the very low economic groups. Only those children whose
parents total monthly income does not exceed Rs.1800/- are covered under the scheme.
The services available to the children include sleeping and day-care facilities,
supplementary nutrition, immunization, medicine, entertainment and medical check-ups.

5.7.2 The scheme is being implemented by
the Central Social Welfare Board (CSWB) through voluntary social welfare organisations,
and by two other national level voluntary organisations, namely, the Indian Council for
Child Welfare (ICCW) and Bharatiya Adim Jati Sevak Sangh (BAJSS) all over the country.

5.7.3 The scheme was started in 1975-76
with 247 creche units covering 6,175 children. The scheme has expanded since then and it
now covers about 12,470 creche units covering around 3.11 lakh beneficiaries. Each unit
normally caters to about 25 children. The implementing organisation receives 90% of the
total expenditure according to a schematic pattern, except the honorarium of
Ayabs/Helpers, for which a lumpsum of Rs.800/- per month per unit is given. The schematic
pattern of budget for a crèche centre for 25 children provides for a grant-in-aid of
Rs.18, 480/-. The non-recurring grant per centre is Rs.4,000/-. In addition to this, a
grant of Rs.2, 000/- is also available for reimbursement of non-recurring expenditure at
an interval of every five years. During the current Financial Year, a budget provision of
Rs.17.00 (RE) crore (Rs.13.15 crore Non-Plan and Rs.3.85 crore Plan) has been made under
the scheme.

NATIONAL CRECHE FUND

5.8.1 The National Creche Fund was set
up on 21.3. 1994 with a Corpus Fund of Rs.19.90 crore made available out of the Social
Safety Net Adjustment Credit of World Bank to meet the growing requirement of opening more
crèche centres.

5.8.2 The scheme envisages that 75% of the
centres to be assisted by the National Creche Fund would be general creches and 25% of
centres would be Anganwadi-cum-Creche centres. The general creches assisted by the NCF
would be on the pattern of the Creche scheme of the Department of Women and Child
Development and would provide children below five years services which would include
day-care facilities, supplementary nutrition, immunization, medical and health care and
recreation. Children of parents whose monthly income does not exceed Rs.1800/- are
eligible for enrolment. The scheme is being implemented through Voluntary
Organisations/Mahila Mandals. The financial norms for the National Creche Fund (NCF) are
the same as that for the creches under the scheme of Assistance to Voluntary Organisations
for Creches for Working and Ailing Mothers. The voluntary organisations/Mahila Mandals
selected for opening the creches are required to open creches in schools or in places
close to schools, in rural and urban slum areas dominated by SCs/STs. The Voluntary
organisations/Mahila Mandals are encouraged to involve the community in the implementation
of the scheme so that the creches become self-supporting.

5.8.3 25% of the centres to be assisted by
the NCF would be Anganwadi-cum-Creche Centres which would be run by the same agency which
runs the ICDS Scheme, which in most cases is the State Government. The
Anganwadi-cum-Creche Centre works for eight hours a day. Each Anganwadi -cum-Creche Centre
receives assistance of Rs.8,100/- per crèche per annum under a schematic pattern of
assistance. This includes honorarium to two crèche workers per crèche @ Rs.600/- per
month and contingency and emergency expenditure @Rs.75/- per month.

5.8.4 A token provision (BE) of Rs.1.00
lakh has been made for the year 1999-2000 under NCF. 2455 creches (1856 general creches
and 599 Anganwadi-cum-Creche Centres) have been sanctioned under the NCF.

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

5.9.1 The Early Childhood Education
(ECE) Scheme was started in 1982 as a distinct strategy to reduce the school drop out rate
and to improve the rate of retention of children of the age group of 3-6 years in primary
schools.

5.9.2 The scheme is being implemented in
nine educationally backward States viz. Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir,
Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Under the Scheme,
financial assistance amounting to Rs. 7980/-per centre per annum is given to voluntary
organizations for running the ECE Centres. This includes the honorarium to be paid to
teachers. The scheme is a non-expanding one and is being continued only in the areas not
covered by the ICDS centres. During 1999-2000, grants to the tune of Rs. 90.61 lakhs were
released (up to February 2000) for running 1149 ECE Centres in non-ICDS areas in above
States.

BALWADI NUTRITION PROGRAMME

5.10.1 The Balwadi Nutrition Programme
is being implemented since 1970-71 through the Central Social Welfare Board and four
national level voluntary organizations, Bhartiya Adimjati Sevak Sangh, Indian Council for
Child Welfare, Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust and Harijan Sevak Sangh, which
extend assistance to local voluntary agencies for implementing the programme. The Balwadi
Nutrition Programme aspires to meet the very basic nutritional requirement of a child in
the age group of 3-5 years by ensuring that she/he is provided with 300 calories and 12-15
gms of protein every day.

5.10.2 Under the scheme a grant of Rs.
17,220/- is given per Balwadi Centre per annum. The scheme is a non-expanding one and is
being continued only in the areas not covered by the ICDS Centres. During 1999-2000,
grants to the tune of Rs. 57.82 lakhs were released (up to February 2000) to Voluntary
Organisations for running 336 Balwadis in Non-ICDS areas.

NATIONAL CHILDRENS BOARD

5.11.1 The National Policy for
Children, 1974 envisages the creation of a National Childrens Board under the
Chairmanship of the Prime Minister to function as a focus and forum for planning, review
and proper co-ordination of the multiplicity of services aimed at meeting the needs of
children. The Board was initially set up in December 1974 with the Prime Minister as its
Chairman. The Board is now under consideration for reconstitution.

STATE RECOGNITION FOR VOLUNTARY
ACTION

Rajiv Gandhi Manav
Seva Award for Service to Children

5.12.1 This Award was instituted in
1994 in the memory of the late Prime Minister to honour an individual who makes
outstanding contribution towards service for children. The Award carries a cash prize of
Rs.1.00 lakh, a silver plaque and a citation.

5.12.2 The National Selection Committee,
headed by HRM, selected Shri Anantrai K. Shah of Bhavnagar, Gujarat, for this Award in
1998. The Award was conferred by the Secretary, WCD on behalf of the Minister on 15th
April, 1999.

5.12.3 The National Selection Committee has
selected Smt. Sukalikar of Nagpur, Maharashtra for the Award in 1999. This was declared on
20th August, 1999, the birth anniversary of the late Shri Rajiv Gandhi.

NATIONAL CHILD AWARDs FOR
EXCEPTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT

5.13.1 The Awards were instituted in
1987 for children between the age of 4 to 15 years who have shown exceptional achievement
in any field including academics, arts and culture and sports. There is one Gold Medal and
32 Silver Medals (one for each State/UT). The Gold Medal carries a cash prize of
Rs.10,000/- and a Certificate. The Silver Medal carries a cash prize of Rs.5,000/- and a
Certificate.

5.13.2 The National Selection Committee
selected one Gold Medalist and 17 Silver Medalists for the year 1997. The Secretary,
Department of Women and Child Development presented the Awards on 15 April, 1999. The last
date for receipt of the recommendation for the Award for the year 1999 was 15 September
1999. The National Selection Committee has selected the Awardees, and these were declared
on 14 November 1999. The names of children selected are at Annexure-X.

NATIONAL AWARDS FOR CHILD WELFARE

5.14.1 The Awards were instituted in
1979 to honour five institutions and three individuals for their outstanding performance
in the field of child development and welfare. The Awards carry a cash prize of Rs.2.00
lakh and a citation for each institution, and Rs.50,000/- and a citation for each
individual.

5.14.2 The Honble President of India
in a function held in Rashtrapati Bhavan on 27 May 1999 presented the Awards for 1998. The
recipients of the Awards for 1999 were declared on 14 November 1999. This year the
Selection Committee has selected only one individual for the Award. The
individual/institutions selected for 1999 are :

5.15.1 The Scheme of National Bravery
Awards to children for bravery, gallantry and meritorious service was started in 1957.
Every year selected children are given National Bravery Awards. The National Bravery
Awards function is organised by the Indian Council for Child Welfare, New Delhi, which is
a voluntary organisation of national repute. Since the inception of the scheme, 555
children have received this award. The National Bravery Award winners for the year 1999
are at Annexure-XI

GOI-UNICEF MASTER PLAN OF OPERATION
1999-2002

5.16.1 The Department of Women and
Child Development, being the nodal Department for Government of India in respect of
matters relating to UNICEF, finalised the GOI-UNICEF Master Plan of Operation (MPO) with
an outlay of U.S.$ 300 million for the period from 1999-2002, and signed the Agreement
with UNICEF on 3 May, 1999. The MPO involves nine Central Ministries and Departments and
the State Governments and UT Administrations. The Department of Women and Child
Development has reviewed the programmes of other Ministries and Departments. The fund
utilization for the year 1999 has been around 93 percent of the annual General Resources
allocation of U.S. $ 31.82 million.

UNIVERSAL CHILDRENS DAY

5.17.1 India observes Universal
Childrens Day on 14 November each year, on the birthday of Indias first Prime
Minister, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, who was an ardent lover of children. The occasion
enables us to review the progress made in attaining the decadal goals, identify gaps and
constraints and work out strategies to reach the time-bound goals. In commemoration of the
day, a theme highlighting a specific issue related to children is selected every year. The
theme for the year 1999 was CHILDREN - INDIAS STRENGTH. A special postal stamp was
released by the Vice-President of India on the occasion at a function organised jointly by
the Department of Women and Child Development and Department of Posts. The Vice-President
also released a special booklet on the occasion.

UN CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS of
THE CHILD

5.18.1 India acceeded to the UN
Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1992 and submitted its Initial Report in 1997.
The UN Committee on the CRC went through our Initial Report and communicated a "List
of Issues" for our written response. Our response was submitted to the UN Committee
on CRC on 9th January, 2000

Secretary WCD led a delegation for the
Hearing on the India Country Report and List of Issues by the CRC Committee on 10th and
11th January 2000, at Geneva.

5.18.2 India is also required to submit a
Periodic Report on the CRC to the UN Committee on CRC. Information in this regard has been
invited from State Governments/UT Administrations and other related
Ministries/Departments.

5.18.3 The Department of Women and Child
Development has constituted a 15 member National Coordinating Mechanism under the
Chairpersonship of the Secretary of the Department for monitoring the implementation of
the Convention on the Rights of the Child and for overseeing all other activities directly
connected to its implementation.

SAARC ACTIVITIES

5.19.1 An annual meeting of the SAARC
Technical Committee on health, population and child welfare activities was held in Colombo
during 12-14 August, 1999. Mrs. Rina Ray, Director, Department of Women and Child
Development attended the meeting along with a delegation which included officers from the
Ministry of External Affairs. The Country Report on the Situation Analysis of the State of
Children prepared by the Department was presented to the Committee during the meeting.

NATIONAL CHARTER FOR CHILDREN

5.20.1 The National Agenda for
Governance enunciated the Governments intention to announce a National Charter for
Children with the aim to ensure that no child remains illiterate, hungry or lacks medical
facilities. The Department prepared an Approach Paper on the National Charter for Children
and circulated it to all the State Governments/UT Administrations and concerned Central
Ministries and Departments for their views/comments and suggestions. The Department also
prepared a draft National Charter for Children, which broadly indicates the proposed
contents of the Charter and a tentative format. The Centre for Child & Law, National
Law University, Bangalore was requested to assist in the preparation of the final draft
National Charter for Children, which is now under consideration of government.

NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR CHILDREN

5.21.1 The Department of Women and
Child Development is in the process of setting up the National Commission for Children.
The proposal was considered by the Parliamentary Standing Committee attached to the
Ministry of Human Resource Development in its two meetings held on 26 October, 1998 and 23
November, 1998 under the Chairmanship of Human Resource Minister. The Committee, approved
the proposal, in principle. Accordingly, and based on the recommendations of the
Committee, a draft note was prepared and circulated to all State Governments/UT
Administrations and concerned Ministries/Departments of the Central Government for their
comments/views and suggestions. Most of the State Governments/UT
Administrations/Ministries/ Departments have agreed to the proposal. Subsequently, the
Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development conducted a meeting with the
Secretaries of concerned Ministries/Departments of Government of India along with the
representatives of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), National Child Welfare (NCW)
and National Commission for Minorities on 29 June, 1999. It was agreed, to set up the
National Commission for Children on the lines of the NHRC. The draft Bill is under
consideration of Government.

THE INFANT MILK SUBSTITUTE ACT,
1992

5.22.1 In 1981, the World Health
Assembly adopted an International Code on the Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes. The
Government of India recognized this Code and adopted the Indian National Code for
Protection and Promotion of Breastfeeding in December, 1983. To give effect to the
provisions of this Code, the Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles and Infant Foods
(Regulation of Production, Supply and distribution ) Act, 1992 was enacted which came into
force with effect from 1.8.1993. The Act provides for the regulation of production, supply
and distribution of infant milk substitutes, feeding bottles and infant foods with a view
to the protection and promotion of breastfeeding and ensuring the proper use of infant
foods and for matters connection therewith or incidental thereto. The Rules framed under
the Act also came into force with effect from 1.8.1993. In addition to food inspectors
appointed under PFA Act, the Central Government has authorized the following four
voluntary organizations engaged in the field of child welfare and development and child
nutrition to make a complain in writing against violations of the Act:

5.22.2 The efforts made in
this direction have placed India as one of the leading countries in the world having
legislation to protect, promote and support breastfeeding. As per UNICEFs 1997
report on the "Progress of Nations" India is one of 16 countries in the world to
have enacted legislation to implement the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk
Substitutes in entirety.

5.22.3 During 1998 Government of India was awarded the
"Hopeful Baby Award" by the UK Food Group for imaginative and effective
implementation of the World Health Organisations International Code of Marketing of
Breastmilk Substitutes. This is, indeed, a recognition of the efforts made by Government
of India. In order to check the marketing malpractices in the sale in promotion of infant
foods, efforts are underway to further strengthen the Act.